SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Former Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders is dead at the age of 90 after a plane crash near Orcas Island.

Coast Guard Station Bellingham was among the response to reports of the crash on Friday, June 7. San Juan County Sheriff Eric Peter said a report came in around 11:40 a.m. that an older-model plane crashed into the water and sank near the north end of Jones Island.

Anders’ son Greg confirmed that his father was the lone pilot on the plane.

Anders flew the first manned space mission to orbit the moon on Christmas Eve of 1968, known as the Apollo 8 “Genesis Flight.” It was then that he took the iconic “Earthrise” photo that shows the planet as a shadowed blue marble from space.

Anders has said the photo was his most significant contribution to the space program, given the ecological philosophical impact it had.

The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA are investigating the crash.