Passenger on William Shatner's flight to space dies in a plane crash


Glen de Vries, who was one of the passengers on Star Trek actor William Shatner's recent flight to space, has died in a plane crash. He was 49.
De Vries, vice chair of life sciences and healthcare at the software company Dassault Systèmes, was killed Thursday in a small plane crash in New Jersey, CNN reports. A four-seat plane reportedly went down in a wooded area in Hampton Township. Blue Origin said it was "devastated" to learn of de Vries's death.
"He brought so much life and energy to the entire Blue Origin team and to his fellow crewmates," statement from the company said. "His passion for aviation, his charitable work, and his dedication to his craft will long be revered and admired."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
De Vries traveled to space alongside Shatner, former NASA engineer Chris Boshuizen, and Blue Origin Vice President of Mission and Flight Operations Audrey Powers in October. De Vries told CBS ahead of the trip he was "looking forward to seeing the Earth from a different perspective than I ever had before," adding, "I just can't wait to stare out that window and feel differently about humanity and our planet than I've ever had the opportunity to before."
Dassault Systèmes in a statement to CNN praised de Vries' "tireless energy, empathy and pioneering spirit," which "left their mark on everyone who knew him."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Breakthrough gene-editing treatment saves baby
speed read KJ Muldoon was healed from a rare genetic condition
-
Sea lion proves animals can keep a beat
speed read A sea lion named Ronan beat a group of college students in a rhythmic dance-off, says new study
-
Humans heal much slower than other mammals
Speed Read Slower healing may have been an evolutionary trade-off when we shed fur for sweat glands
-
Novel 'bone collector' caterpillar wears its prey
Speed Read Hawaiian scientists discover a carnivorous caterpillar that decorates its shell with the body parts of dead insects
-
Scientists find hint of alien life on distant world
Speed Read NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has detected a possible signature of life on planet K2-18b
-
Katy Perry, Gayle King visit space on Bezos rocket
Speed Read Six well-known women went into lower orbit for 11 minutes
-
Scientists map miles of wiring in mouse brain
Speed Read Researchers have created the 'largest and most detailed wiring diagram of a mammalian brain to date,' said Nature
-
Scientists genetically revive extinct 'dire wolves'
Speed Read A 'de-extinction' company has revived the species made popular by HBO's 'Game of Thrones'