Eight killed in plane crash at remote Alaskan military site, air force says

What the report says

Eight people were killed when a civilian-contracted plane crashed near a remote US Air Force installation at Cape Newenham on Alaska’s south-west coast, according to the US military. The aircraft went down shortly after midday local time on Thursday after departing Anchorage International Airport and heading about 450 miles west to the radar site, which is part of Alaska’s remote air-monitoring network.

The US Air Force said it was not yet clear who was on board or why the aircraft was at the site. Rescuers who reached the crash area reported that there were no survivors. The military said the people on board were “dedicated professionals” involved in an important mission, and that support was being offered to families, friends and colleagues.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska office said there were two pilots and six passengers aboard, as reported by the BBC’s US partner CBS News. An investigation is under way, and the names of those who died will be released after next of kin are informed.

The crash occurred at a location that supports radar coverage for aircraft in Alaskan airspace, highlighting the hazards of operating in remote parts of the state, where weather, distance and limited access can complicate both travel and emergency response.