Three people rescued after Alaska plane crash
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Three people were rescued following a plane crash in southeast Alaska on Friday, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said. The status of the other two on board was not immediately known.
Coast Guard spokesman Grant DeVuyst said the three who were rescued were being brought to Juneau. He did not immediately know the extent of any injuries they sustained.
CBS affiliate KTVA reported the wreckage was located at an elevation of 1,330 feet on the side of a mountain in what was described by the Coast Guard as a forested area.
DeVuyst said authorities, initially thwarted by poor weather and steep, rugged terrain, were able to find a clearing for helicopter hoist operations.
Juneau police said they received a 911 call around 1:30 p.m. Friday from someone saying they had been involved in a crash on a flight from Juneau to the community of Hoonah. Police said the caller's name matched that of an individual on the plane.
The Cessna 207 operated by Wings of Alaska was reported missing Friday afternoon. The company confirmed the plane had been involved in an accident.
Wings of Alaska flies scheduled passenger service to small southeast Alaska communities. Its services also include sightseeing trips and charters.
At 12:53 p.m., there was light rain reported at the Juneau airport, according to the National Weather Service website.
Company executive vice president Tim Seiber said the flight involved was a scheduled flight. There were four passengers and one crew member on board, he said.
Responders received an emergency beacon alert Friday afternoon, according to the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard sent a helicopter and cutter to the search area about 18 miles west of Juneau. The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration were notified.
The accident comes less than one month after a sightseeing floatplane crashed in a mountainous area in southeast Alaska, killing all nine people on board. The aircraft crashed on a steep cliff June 25 about 25 miles from the town of Ketchikan. The excursion was sold through the cruise company Holland America and operated by Ketchikan-based Promech Air.