Eight people died after a charter aircraft crashed at a remote military radar site in western Alaska on Thursday, the US military's Alaskan Command said.
A Cessna 441 operated by Anchorage-based air charter company Security Aviation crashed west of Cape Newenham LRRS Airport in Alaska around 12:15 p.m. (2015 GMT), a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson said.
The aircraft had departed from Anchorage International Airport and was bound for Cape Newenham, the spokesperson added.
“This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve,” US Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Eleventh Air Force, said in a statement.
The statement did not provide details on the specific work the individuals were doing. It referred to the plane involved as a “civilian-contracted aircraft.”
The Cape Newenham facility is part of a network of remote radar sites that track aircraft in Alaska's airspace and along its borders.
Davis described those on board as “dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment. Our absolute priority right now is providing unwavering support to their families, friends and teammates during this devastating time. We are profoundly grateful for the swift and tireless response of our search and recovery professionals.”
Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region chief, said earlier Thursday evening that two pilots and six passengers were on board.
