Eight people died in a plane crash near an ultra-remote aircraft tracking radar station in Alaska on Thursday, the U.S. military confirmed.
The Cessna 441 aircraft departed from Anchorage and crashed shortly after 12:15 p.m. local time while en route to the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar site. The site is located approximately 450 miles west of Anchorage.
Two employees from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were among the eight fatalities. U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis described the individuals 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," Davis stated. "Our absolute priority right now is providing unwavering support to their families, friends and teammates during this devastating time."
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced that investigators were traveling to the crash site on Friday.
The crash occurred in foggy weather conditions, according to information compiled by a service affiliated with the Flight Safety Foundation. The radar site is managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center and is part of a network that monitors aircraft operating in Alaska's airspace and along its borders.
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski stated on social media that the flight was operated by Security Aviation, an aircraft charter company based in Anchorage. She expressed condolences and acknowledged the response efforts by the U.S. Coast Guard, NTSB, Alaska State Troopers, and the Rescue Coordination Center.