5 People Killed in Commuter Plane Crash in Alaska
Five people were killed in Alaska on Thursday in a commuter aircraft crash, authorities said.
The Yute Air plane was traveling from Bethel to Kipnuk with a pilot and four passengers on board when it went down, Alaska State Troopers said in a dispatch.
The troopers were notified of the overdue aircraft, and later found the crash scene about 12 miles southwest of Tuntutuliak. Tuntutuliak is about halfway between Bethel and Kipnuk.
The plane was a Piper PA32, and the circumstances surrounding the crash remain unclear, FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer told PEOPLE in a statement.
The Rescue Coordination Center launched a Blackhawk to the scene from Bethel, which confirmed all five people on board were killed, the dispatch said.
Both the FAA and the National Safety Transportation Board will investigate, according to Kenitzer.
RELATED VIDEO: Authorities Confirm 9 Victims Died in Calabasas Crash Involving Kobe Bryant and His Daughter
Yute Air offers the Bethel to Kipnuk route twice a day, at 9:15 a.m. and 3 p.m. for $175 Monday through Saturday, according to its website.
RELATED: San Diego College Student Killed Alongside Her Mother and Sister in Ukrainian Plane Crash
The company wrote on Facebook that all flights were canceled on Friday.
The victims’ identities have not been released as troopers make efforts to notify next of kin, the dispatch said.
