Eight killed as plane crashes at remote US military radar site in Alaska
A civilian-contracted aircraft crashed near a remote Air Force radar site on Alaska's south-west coast, killing all eight people on board. Rescuers confirmed there were no survivors.
All eight people aboard a civilian-contracted aircraft died on Thursday when the plane crashed near Cape Newenham, a remote site on Alaska's south-west coast that hosts a long-range radar station and its own airport, the US military said.
The aircraft had departed from Anchorage International Airport, bound for Cape Newenham roughly 450 miles away by air. It went down shortly after midday local time. Search and rescue teams who reached the site confirmed that no one had survived.
An investigation into the crash is now under way. Authorities said the names of those who died would be released only once their next of kin had been notified.
Lt Gen Robert Davis, chief of the US Air Force Alaskan Command, described those killed as dedicated professionals who had been carrying out an important mission in difficult conditions. He called the crash a devastating loss for the military community and said the immediate focus was on supporting the families, friends and colleagues of those who died. He also thanked search and recovery personnel for their rapid response.
It remains unclear who exactly the passengers were or the purpose of their trip. Clint Johnson, head of the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska region, said two pilots and six passengers had been on board.
Cape Newenham is part of the Alaska Radar System, a chain of remote installations that track aircraft entering or flying within Alaskan airspace.
