Plane Crash Kills Eight at US Air Force Site in Alaska
A civilian-contracted aircraft crashed at Cape Newenham in southwestern Alaska, with rescuers confirming there were no survivors.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Eight people were killed when a civilian-contracted aircraft crashed Thursday at a remote US Air Force installation in southwestern Alaska, according to the US military and Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The aircraft crashed at the airport serving the military's long-range radar site at Cape Newenham, a remote location near the southwestern tip of the state, the Alaskan Command said in a statement.
Rescue personnel reached the crash site and confirmed that there were no survivors, the command said.
The military did not immediately disclose the identities of those killed or provide details about the aircraft, its operator or the circumstances that led to the crash.
An Alaskan Command spokesperson said an investigation was underway and that the names of the victims would be released after their families had been notified.
"This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve," said Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, head of Alaskan Command.
"These individuals were dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment," Davis added.
The Cape Newenham facility is part of the US military's radar network used to monitor aircraft operating in Alaskan airspace. The command did not immediately say what the aircraft's occupants were doing at the site when the crash occurred.
The remote location could present challenges for investigators and recovery teams, particularly given Alaska's difficult terrain and limited access to some military installations.
Authorities have not indicated whether weather, mechanical failure, human error or another factor contributed to the accident.
The crash comes amid heightened attention to aviation safety at remote Alaskan facilities, where military and contracted aircraft operate in challenging conditions over vast distances.
The Alaskan Command said further information would be released as the investigation progresses and after relatives of the victims have been informed.
For now, the military's immediate focus remains on recovering the victims and determining how the aircraft crashed at the isolated installation.