JUNEAU, ALASKA (AP) — A sightseeing plane crashed on Thursday in southeast Alaska, killing all six people on board, the United States (US) Coast Guard said.
The plane’s emergency alert beacon was activated around 11.20am when the plane crashed in the area of Misty Fjords National Monument, near Ketchikan, the Coast Guard and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.
A helicopter company reported seeing wreckage on a ridgeline in the search area, and Coast Guard crew members found the wreckage around 2.40pm. A Coast Guard helicopter lowered two rescue swimmers to the site, and they reported no survivors, the agency said. The identities of those killed in the crash were not immediately released.
The plane involved on Thursday, a de Havilland Beaver, was owned by Southeast Aviation LLC.
“Our hearts are shattered at the loss of six people today. We are thinking of and grieving with the families of the five passengers and our dear friend and pilot aboard the aircraft,” the company said in a statement. “We are cooperating with the first responders and agencies involved, including the US Coast Guard, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Alaska State Troopers.”
The five passengers on the flight were from the Holland America Line cruise ship Nieuw Amsterdam, the company said in a statement. The ship stopped in Ketchikan on Thursday and delayed its afternoon departure after the plane crash. The company said it was making counselling services available to guests and crew.
“The float plane excursion was offered by an independent tour operator and not sold by Holland America Line,” the statement said.
Southeast Aviation on its website said it provides sightseeing tours to Misty Fjords National Monument and bear-viewing sites, along with air charters to other communities in southeast Alaska.
The Coast Guard was told by the plane’s operator that five passengers and a pilot were on board, Wadlow said.
Wadlow did not have details on when the plane took off. Weather conditions were a cloud ceiling of 900 feet with mist and light rain. Visibility was two miles and winds were eight mph, the Coast Guard said.
