According to reports,16-year-old Autumn Veatch was travelling in a small private plane bound for Lynden, Washington, but the aircraft failed to arrive at its destination.
Travelling in the company of her grandparents, Autumn recalled that the private plane collided with the side of a mountain on Saturday - a collision which authorities believe her grandparents ultimately did not survive.
Unable to free her grandparents, Leland and Sharon Bowman, from the aircraft, the distraught teen waited at the crash site for rescuers before desperately making her way to the highway where she was eventually rescued.
Speaking to CNN, Okanogan County Sheriff, Frank Rogers, recalled events on behalf of Autumn, saying: "Autumn said they flew out of the clouds, and then flew into the side of a mountain. She was able to get out, and she spent the night by a river before hiking to the highway, where she was rescued."
Having been taken to Three Rivers Hospital in Brewster, Autumn met with her overwhelmed father who spoke to the media on his daughter's behalf.
It is understood search and rescue crews are still attempting to locate the plane, but the exercise is proving difficult on account of the mountainous terrain.
Our thoughts go out to the Veatch and Bowman families at this devastating time.
