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JUNEAU, Alaska » A plane crash in southeast Alaska left one person dead and four others injured, the Coast Guard said Friday.
The four were transported by helicopter to a Juneau hospital. One patient was listed in serious condition while another was in critical condition.
Juneau police said they received a 911 call around 1:30 p.m. Friday from someone saying they had been involved in a crash on a flight from Juneau to the community of Hoonah. Police said the caller’s name matched that of an individual on the plane.
The Cessna 207 operated by Wings of Alaska was reported missing Friday afternoon. The company confirmed the plane had been involved in an accident.
Wings of Alaska flies scheduled passenger service to small southeast Alaska communities. Its services also include sightseeing trips and charters. Company executive vice president Tim Seiber said the flight involved was a scheduled flight.
Coast Guard spokesman Grant DeVuyst said authorities, initially thwarted by poor weather and steep, rugged terrain, were able to find a clearing for helicopter hoist operations.
The accident comes less than one month after a sightseeing floatplane crashed in a mountainous area in southeast Alaska, killing all nine people on board. The aircraft crashed on a steep cliff June 25 about 25 miles from the town of Ketchikan. The excursion was sold through the cruise company Holland America and operated by Ketchikan-based Promech Air.
