The tragic fate of four souls aboard a small aircraft that plunged into the depths of the Pacific Ocean off Half Moon Bay on Sunday night is slowly being pieced together as authorities identify victims amidst the wreckage.

27-year-old Emma Willmer-Shiles of San Francisco has been identified as one of the victims by the San Mateo County Coroner's Office, and sources indicate there may be more grim discoveries to follow. According to a SFist report, Lochie Ferrier was the pilot of the ill-fated homebuilt Cozy Mark IV, known for its small passenger capacity.

Adding to the tragedy, reports point to the possibility of Ferrier's fiancé Cassidy Petit and another unnamed individual also being aboard the small plane when it descended into the murky fog of Half Moon Bay that fateful evening, as per CBS News Bay Area. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard has suspended active search operations due to dangerous conditions.

Witnesses near Moss Beach Distillery reportedly saw the plane, which originated from the East Bay, flying erratically before it vanished into the ocean. A coordinated response by multifaceted emergency teams ensued shortly after the incident, with the sheriff's office even deploying drones to locate survivors, according Hoodline. 

As investigations into the cause of the crash kick into gear, retired airline captain Ross Sagun offered his insights to CBS News Bay Area, "What we've learned over many years of accident investigation is that an accident usually isn't just caused by one break in the links in the chain but many. It's like threading a needle through Swiss cheese. When all the holes align, then you have a bad incident and I think we're going to probably find that there wasn't just one or maybe even two things." Further muddying the waters, historical weather data points to poor visibility during the crash, highlighting the challenges pilots face when the environment turns hostile.