JUNEAU, Alaska — The Coast Guard and Alaska State Troopers are responding to the report of a downed aircraft on Admiralty Island approximately 20 miles southeast of Angoon Friday.
Wreckage from a Cessna 206 has been located and a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Sitka, members of Sitka Mountain Rescue and a commercial aircrew are searching for survivors.The Coast Guard received an alert from the Cessna’s Emergency Locator Beacon indicating the aircraft was in distress Friday morning. The company that owns the Cessna also contacted the Coast Guard. An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew was dispatched from Air Station Sitka to the last known position of the Cessna, while a nearby commercial aircraft diverted to the scene and located the crash site. The MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter was unable to land at the crash site due to wind and returned to Sitka to embark a team from Sitka Mountain Rescue to conduct a ground search.
“We are working closely with Alaska State Troopers in responding to this incident,” said Cmdr. Marc Burd, search and rescue mission coordinator at Sector Juneau. “Search and rescue in Southeast Alaska is very unique. We rely heavily on our partnerships with other state and local rescue organizations to ensure the best and fastest possible response.”
The Cessna 206 had departed Wrangell and was heading to Angoon with four passengers on board. On scene weather reported as 20 knot winds gusting to 30 knots, 10 nautical miles visibility.