When a Boeing 747 crashed into the ground in Afghanistan on April 29, the lives of the seven Americans on board were lost. The victims include, Gary Stockdale, Brad Hasler, Jeremy Lipka, Rinku Summna, Michael Sheets, Timothy Garrett and Jaime Brokaw – all of whose families are bound together by grief.

One of the victims had foreseen his fate. "He always said it was dangerous," Stockdale's brother, Glen Stockdale, said, according to The Detroit Free Press. "He would always say, ‘You either will die in a car crash or a ball of flame in a plane.’” Stockdale was not alone in his wariness about flying. Lipka was also keenly aware of the risk. "He knew the risks. He volunteered to take the trips,” his stepfather, Dave Buttman, said. “Basically, you’re taking your chances flying in there and he was just happy to be one of the pilots to do it.”

Elena Garrett, Garrett's ex-wife and the mother to his daughters, is devastated by the loss of her best friend and her children's father. “We’re all devastated,” she said. “We were still best friends. He’s the best father I’ve ever seen, ready to help anybody. He would give the shirt off his back for anybody.”

Hasler was also a father. His brother, Bill Hasler, said in a statement, "Brad was a wonderful father to two young children, a beloved husband to a wife who is expecting another child, a loving son, and the most loyal and supportive brother I could have ever asked for. His influence in the lives of all of us who loved him is immeasurable, and our grief is indescribable.”

Browkaw, 33, had been known to be an extremely skilled pilot. “He was a very good person and very smart person,” his brother told NBC.

The last words that Rajnit Summan said to her husband were "be safe."

As of yet, there has been no official report as to why the plane crashed into the ground. The Afghanistan Minister of Transportation and Commercial Aviation is leading the investigation, but the NTSB is investigating the incident as well. Although the Taliban has claimed responsibility, there's been no proof that they had anything to do with the incident.

Here is the full footage of the Boeing 747 crash:

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