Families gather in Port Hueneme to honor Alaska Flight 261 crash victims on 23rd anniversary

PORT HUENEME, Calif. (KABC) -- Tuesday marked the 23rd anniversary of the Alaska Airlines disaster off Port Hueneme in Ventura County.

Families of those killed gathered at the beachside memorial to remember their loved ones with a special ceremony.

Flight 261 was on its way from Puerto Vallarta to San Francisco when a mechanical failure caused it to plunge into the ocean, killing all 88 people on board.

Ameet Prasad lost his younger brother and two cousins in the crash.

"These are reminders that we should keep telling people that we love them, and let them know how we feel because you never know what's going to happen," he said.

Following the crash, families successfully lobbied for design changes and improved airplane maintenance requirements.