ISLAMABAD: Eight people have been killed after a civilian-contracted aircraft crashed near a remote US Air Force site in Alaska, the US military says.
The aircraft went down shortly after midday local time on Thursday near Cape Newenham, which hosts an airport serving a long-range radar facility.
Rescuers who reached the crash site confirmed that there were no survivors, the US Air Force Alaskan Command said.
Aircraft was bound for remote radar site
The aircraft had taken off from Anchorage International Airport and was travelling to Cape Newenham, about 450 miles (725km) to the west by air.
The US military has not said who the passengers were or why they were travelling to the remote site.
However, US Air Force Alaskan Command chief Lt Gen Robert Davis described those on board as “dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment”.
“This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve,” he said.
He added that the priority was supporting the victims’ families, friends and colleagues.
The military also praised search and recovery teams for their rapid response.
Investigation under way
Clint Johnson, chief of the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region, said there were two pilots and six passengers on board, according to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.
An investigation into the cause of the crash is under way.
The names of those killed will be released after their next of kin have been notified.
Cape Newenham, on Alaska’s south-western coast, forms part of the Alaska Radar System, a network of remote facilities used to monitor aircraft approaching or operating in Alaskan airspace.
