ANCHORAGE (Alaska, US), Feb 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Five people were killed in a small commuter plane crash in southwest Alaska on Thursday, Alaska State Troopers said.
The pilot and four passengers on a Yute Air flight were killed, Troopers spokesman Tim DeSpain said.
Names have not been released, and troopers were attempting to notify next of kin, he said.
The commuter flight was traveling from the southwest Alaska hub community of Bethel to the village of Kipnuk.
The flight was reported overdue Thursday afternoon and found crashed about 19 kilometers southwest of the community of Tuntutuliak after 1:30 p.m.
The Alaska Army National Guard launched a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from Bethel to the crash scene, Lt. Col. Candis Olmstead said in a text message.
Allen Kenitzer, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the Piper PA32 crashed under unknown circumstances.
Tuntutuliak is located about 700 kilometers west of Anchorage. — NNN-AGENCIES