In Portland, Oregon, the local community mourns the tragic loss of three Afghan nationals who had found sanctuary in the region last year. The nonprofit organization Salem for Refugees, which aids in the resettlement of refugees by providing financial assistance, housing, and job placement, expressed profound sorrow following the untimely passing of Mohammad Hussain Musawi, 35, Mohammad Bashir Safdari, 35, and Ali Jan Ferdawsi, 29.
The organization, deeply affected by the incident, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the funeral costs and to offer financial support to the grieving families of the deceased. The three men, who arrived in Oregon in 2022, were known for their warmth, abilities, and resolute spirit, quickly making a positive impact on the local community.
Tragedy struck on a Saturday when a light aircraft, piloted by Musawi with Safdari and Ferdawsi aboard, collided with power lines near the city of Independence in the Willamette Valley, situated roughly 12 miles southwest of Salem. The crash resulted in a small brush fire and led to a power outage in the area.
Darwaish Zakhil, co-founder and community advancement director of the Afghan Support Network based in Portland, remembered Musawi as a dedicated and driven individual. Zakhil had engaged with him both over the phone and in person and had encountered Safdari and Ferdawsi at various gatherings. He noted their shared ambition to obtain commercial pilot licenses and their desire to be reunited with their families.
Zakhil, a combat veteran himself, held the three men in high esteem, recognizing them as equals to U.S. veterans who have served in combat. He acknowledged the immense pressures they endured, which surpassed anything he had experienced.
As the Taliban siege of Kabul intensified, these pilots were among those who bravely flew their aircraft, amidst enemy fire, to Tajikistan. This courageous act was to prevent military equipment from falling into Taliban hands, as explained by Russ Pritchard, CEO of a supporting nonprofit. They arrived in the U.S. under Operation Allies Welcome, a program that has facilitated the resettlement of over 90,000 Afghans, including U.S. affiliates, since 2021, as per the U.S. State Department.
Pritchard highlighted that these three men were heroes who fought alongside American forces and dreamed of providing their children with an American education. He also mentioned that many individuals his organization supports have been away from their loved ones for extended periods, often exceeding two years.
The aircraft was en route from McMinnville, Oregon, to Independence State Airport amid dense fog when the accident occurred. Local authorities, along with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, are conducting investigations to determine the exact cause of the crash.
The loss has deeply affected the Afghan community in Oregon, where approximately 1,400 Afghans have found refuge since 2021, according to state human services records. Salem for Refugees, along with other nonprofits, is calling on the community to unite in support of the families affected by this tragedy, honoring the memory of the three men whose lives were cut short.
Three Afghan pilots—Mohammad Hussain Musawi, 35, Mohammad Bashir Safdari, 35, and Ali Jan Ferdawsi, 29—were resettled in Salem, Oregon, by the nonprofit Salem for Refugees. They tragically died in a plane crash when the small aircraft piloted by Musawi, with Safdari and Ferdawsi as passengers, hit power lines near Independence, Oregon. The men were working towards their commercial pilot licenses and hoped to reunite with their families. They had previously flown aircraft to safety in Tajikistan as the Taliban advanced on Kabul, and came to the U.S. through Operation Allies Welcome. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help their families with funeral expenses. The Afghan community in Oregon is mourning their loss, and the crash is under investigation by the FAA and NTSB.
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