Alaska News

2 people rescued after their plane crashed southeast of Ketchikan, Coast Guard says

Two people were rescued Saturday from a cabin in the Misty Fjords National Monument near Ketchikan after their floatplane crashed during takeoff, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The Cessna 180 crashed during takeoff and officials received a call for help around 2:45 p.m., the Coast Guard wrote in an online statement. Neither of the people on board the privately owned plane were injured, the Coast Guard said.

“The pilot was able to call for help using a satellite phone shortly after the crash, and they also activated a personal locator beacon, which allowed our air crew to quickly respond to their exact location,” said Lt. Maren Balke, search and rescue mission coordinator at the Sector Juneau command center.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from the Coast Guard rescued the two people from the U.S. Forest Service cabin at Humpback Lake, the statement said.

“The helicopter crew lowered a rescue swimmer who safely hoisted both individuals before transferring them to awaiting emergency personnel in Ketchikan,” the Coast Guard wrote.

The statement did not say what caused the crash.

Six people died Thursday when a flightseeing plane crashed northeast of Ketchikan. Officials said the National Transportation Safety Board hoped to recover the wreckage Sunday.

Tess Williams

Tess Williams is a reporter focusing on breaking news and public safety. Before joining the ADN in 2019, she was a reporter for the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota. Contact her at twilliams@adn.com.

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