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

BBC (international) · back to the audit
A plane crash at a remote US Air Force site in Alaska has killed all eight people on board, the US military has said.

The civilian-contracted aircraft crashed shortly after midday local time (20:00 GMT) on Thursday near Cape Newenham, which hosts the airport of a long-range radar site.

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) said two of its employees were aboard.

It is unclear who the other passengers were or why they were there, but the US Air Force Alaskan Command chief said they had been "dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment".

"This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve," Lt Gen Robert Davis added.

"Our absolute priority right now is providing unwavering support to their families, friends and teammates during this devastating time," he said in a statement.

"We are profoundly grateful for the swift and tireless response of our search and recovery professionals."

The plane originally took off from Anchorage International Airport and was bound for Cape Newenham - 450 miles (725 km) to the west by air - the US Air Force Alaskan Command said.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which identified the plane as a Cesna 441, said it and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) would investigate the incident.

Rescuers who landed near the crash site "confirmed there were no survivors", it added. An investigation is under way and the deceased will be named once their next of kin had been informed.

The plane was chartered by the USACE, which said on Friday it had confirmed two its employees were aboard. The vast majority of the USACE's workforce are civilians and not enlisted soldiers.

Clint Johnson, the chief for the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska region, said there had been two pilots and six passengers on board, CBS News, the BBC's US partner, reported.