Eight killed in charter plane crash near remote Alaska radar site

Eight people were killed when a civilian-contracted charter plane crashed in western Alaska near a remote military radar site, according to the United States military. Rescuers who reached the area confirmed there were no survivors after the aircraft went down west of Cape Newenham LRRS Airport on Thursday. The plane was a Cessna 441 operated by Anchorage-based Security Aviation.

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A Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson said the crash happened at about 20:15 GMT. The National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska region chief, Clint Johnson, said earlier that two pilots and six passengers were on board. Alaskan Command said rescuers landed near the crash site and confirmed the fatalities, and added that it was investigating the crash.

The military said it had not yet said what those on board were doing at the radar site, which tracks aircraft operating in Alaskan airspace. Alaskan Command chief Robert Davis described the loss as devastating for the military family and the communities it serves. He said the people involved were dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment.

The crash adds to the long-standing risks of flying in remote parts of Alaska, where weather, distance and limited access can complicate both operations and emergency response. Cape Newenham is in a sparsely populated part of western Alaska, far from major population centres, and the area is used for aviation activity linked to monitoring air traffic. In such settings, even routine flights can involve difficult conditions and limited support if something goes wrong.

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Security Aviation is based in Anchorage, while the radar site is part of a wider system that helps track aircraft in Alaskan airspace. The involvement of military personnel or contractors at the site has not been explained publicly, and officials have not identified the dead. The National Transportation Safety Board and Alaskan Command are both involved in the response and investigation.

What remains unclear is the cause of the crash and the purpose of the flight to the radar site. Officials have said the names of those killed will be released after families are informed. The next developments are likely to come from the investigation into the aircraft, the flight path and conditions at the time of the crash.

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