Five people have died with another 10 taken to hospital after two floatplanes experienced a mid-air collision near the town of Ketchikan in Alaska, USA.
Both pilots were transporting cruise ship passengers on tours of the local geography, including of the Misty Fjords and Tongass National Forest. All five passengers on the Havilland DHC-2 Beaver were killed, while the other plane (Havilland Otter DHC-3) carried 11.
Of the 10 people taken to hospital, one is in a critical condition, three in a serious condition and six in a fair condition. While 5 fatalities have been confirmed, one person remains missing.
Deanna Thomas, a spokesperson for the local government, said that crews were “still working on the search and recovery of three or more individuals”.
The circumstances surrounding the crash are still unclear and the company that operated the 11-person plane has cancelled all future flights until an investigation is concluded.
The cruise ship Royal Princess, of which the victims were all passengers, released a statement expressing that they were “deeply saddened” by the incident and that their “thoughts and prayers” were with victims and their loved ones.
Cruise passengers have reported delays in departure due to news of the crash.
Kevin has been contributing to multiple news websites since 2015. He started his blog back in 2016 tackling technology and business tips. His passion towards journalism and sharing relevant information with global readers pushed his to take journalism major at Boston University. He is now a full-time contributor to Kev’s Best.