Apollo Astronaut William Anders, Known for Iconic "Earthrise" Photo, Dies in Plane Crash at 90 (Video)

Apollo 8 Lunar Module Pilot Gen. William Anders, speaks to reporters in front of the Saturn 5 Aft End, the F-1 rocket engines of the first stage of the Apollo 11/Saturn 5 launch vehicle July 20, 2004, in Washington

William Anders, the Apollo astronaut renowned for capturing the iconic 1968 "Earthrise" photo while orbiting the moon, died at age 90 in a plane crash near the San Juan Islands on Friday.

Greg Anders, the astronaut’s son, confirmed his father's death to the Associated Press. "The family is devastated," he said in a statement. "He was a great pilot. He will be missed."

Anders, who had reached the rank of major in the Air Force before his Apollo mission, was piloting the vintage Air Force T-34 Mentor plane that crashed, according to Fox 13 Seattle. The aircraft was owned by Anders and he lived in San Juan County.

“Earthrise" (NASA)

The crash occurred near Orcas and Jones Islands, with video footage showing the small plane descending rapidly before skidding along the water’s surface and exploding. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft attempting a loop maneuver just before it crashed, approximately 80 feet from Jones Island.

"It was too low and ... it didn’t clear the water," said Philip Person, who witnessed the crash from a cabin onshore. "I could not believe what I was seeing in front of my eyes. It looked like something right out of a movie or special effects, with the large explosion and flames and everything."

Personnel from the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, US Coast Guard, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife responded to the crash site. The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating the incident.

n official photograph of Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders (NASA)

Anders was a member of the historic Apollo 8 mission, the first to orbit the moon. The mission circled the moon for 20 hours, marking the first time humans entered lunar orbit. The "Earthrise" photo, taken during this mission, is one of the most famous images in history and is credited with helping to inspire the environmental movement of the late 1960s.

Reflecting on the image in a 2015 interview with Forbes, Anders said, "The view points out the beauty of Earth, and its fragility. It helped kick start the environmental movement."

US Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, a former NASA astronaut, paid tribute to Anders on social media. "Bill Anders forever changed our perspective of our planet and ourselves with his famous Earthrise photo on Apollo 8," Kelly wrote. "He inspired me and generations of astronauts and explorers. My thoughts are with his family and friends."