Tragedy struck on Wednesday as a small plane plunged into the shallow waters near a secluded Alaskan coastal town, claiming the lives of all four individuals onboard, according to officials.
The ill-fated aircraft, identified as a Piper PA-24-260, had embarked on its journey from Merrill Field Airport in Anchorage, destined for the rustic town of Seldovia. The Alaska Department of Public Safety reported that the crash occurred at approximately 1:18 p.m.
Located roughly 136 miles southwest of Anchorage, Seldovia’s airport was the intended destination of the flight.
A statement revealed, “Alaska State Troopers received notification of a plane crash occurring in the Seldovia Slough area.”
A Piper PA-24-260 met a tragic end as it crashed into the shallow waters near an isolated coastal town in Alaska, resulting in the demise of all four people onboard. (Getty Images)
A helicopter crew from Anchorage was dispatched to the crash site and other troopers were sent by boat from Anchor Point.
Following the crash, the plane was completely submerged in about 15 feet of water in the Seldovia Slough near the shore, according to Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region chief.
Troopers were forced to wait until the tide went out in order to reach the aircraft.
Once the tide level dropped at about 6:30 p.m., troopers were able to retrieve the bodies of the four adult victims from the plane.
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The aircraft was heading for an airport in the small town of Seldovia after taking off from Merrill Field Airport in Anchorage when it crashed. (Getty Images)
The bodies will be sent to the state medical examiner’s office for autopsy. The victims’ names will be released once next of kin are notified, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety.
It remains unclear what may have caused the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
This comes after another plane crashed last week at a remote military site in western Alaska, killing all eight people on board. That aircraft had been making its second runway approach in heavy fog, and its pilots were struggling to see the gravel airstrip, according to officials.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
In that incident, the Cessna’s two pilots were flying solely by instruments when the plane crashed. Regulations required that the pilots abort their first landing attempt because of the lack of visibility, and the plane crashed on its second attempt, about one-third of a mile from the runway.