Alaska Sightseeing Plane Crash Kills 6 People, Probe Underway

A sightseeing plane crashed in southeast Alaska killing all six people on board. The U.S. Coast Guard said Thursday that the aircraft went down in the area of Misty Fjords National Monument, near Ketchikan.

Two rescue swimmers were lowered to the site by a helicopter to search for survivors. However, none of the people on board were found to be alive. The identities of those killed in the crash were not immediately released.

The plane's wreckage was first spotted by a helicopter company in the area before the Coast Guard arrived. The aircraft was operated by the sightseeing company Southeast Aviation.

Petty Officer Eli Teller said that the Coast Guard got an emergency signal from the de Havilland Beaver around 11:20 a.m. following which rescue teams responded to the site. The distress signal came from about 1,400-feet elevation in the Misty Fjords area, he said, adding that initially, bad weather hampered the search, KTOO reported.

Holland America wrote on Twitter that five of its guests were on board the plane.

The cause of the crash was not known as of Thursday. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said on Twitter that a team of investigators will be sent to the scene Friday to probe the crash.

Ketchikan is a popular stop for cruise ships visiting Alaska from where passengers go on various sightseeing excursions. Among the many popular expeditions is a small plane flight to Misty Fjords National Monument, which allows travelers to witness glacier valleys, snow-capped peaks and beautiful lakes.