Alaska, Aug 21: A passenger plane carrying eight people has crashed in a remote snowy area of western Alaska. According to Clint Johnson, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Alaska, the plane, which had departed from Anchorage, crashed while approaching the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site.
There were two pilots and six passengers on board the plane. As soon as the information about the crash was received, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) began an emergency search and rescue operation with the assistance of the US Coast Guard.
There was no immediate official information about the survivors because the accident occurred in a very steep and remote geographical area. A U.S. Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crashed during a training flight near Harbor Mountain in Sitka, injuring four crew members.
Other recent tragedies: A business jet crashed into a highway in Laredo, Texas, killing eight people; a B-52 bomber test flight in California killed eight people; and a skydivers’ plane crashed in Missouri, killing 12.
Alaska’s weather challenges: Alaska’s coast and radar sites are notorious for heavy snowfall, fog, and rapid weather changes, making it a constant challenge for small charter flights.
Investigation ordered: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and NTSB have launched an official investigation into whether the crash was caused by technical failure or adverse weather conditions.