A civilian-contracted aircraft crashed Thursday at a remote U.S. Air Force radar facility in southwestern Alaska, killing everyone on board, military authorities have confirmed.
The aircraft went down at the airport serving the long-range radar site at Cape Newenham, a remote location on Alaska’s southwestern tip. Rescue personnel who reached the crash area confirmed that there were no survivors.
The Alaskan Command said the circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation. Officials have not disclosed the number of people aboard the aircraft or the nature of the mission being carried out at the military installation.
The radar facility plays an important role in monitoring aircraft operating within Alaskan airspace, making the remote site part of the region’s broader military surveillance network.
Authorities said the identities of those killed would be released after their relatives had been notified.
Alaskan Command chief Lieutenant General Robert Davis described the incident as a major loss to the military community and the communities served by the personnel involved.
“These individuals were dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment,” Davis said.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft, weather conditions and other factors that may have contributed to the deadly crash as efforts to establish what happened continue.
