Charter plane crash near Alaskan military site kills 8

Rescuers who landed near the crash site ‘confirmed there were no survivors’.Eight people have been killed as a charter plane crashed at a remote radar site in western Alaska, according to the United States military.The civilian-contracted Cessna 441, operated by Anchorage-based air charter company Security Aviation, crashed west of Cape Newenham LRRS Airport on Thursday at about 20:15 GMT, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson said.Rescuers who landed near the crash site “confirmed there were no survivors”, according to a statement by the Alaskan Command.It did not say what those on board were doing at the radar site, which tracks aircraft operating in Alaskan airspace.A spokesperson said Alaskan Command was investigating the crash and would name the dead after their families had been informed.“This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve,” Alaskan Command chief Robert Davis said.“These individuals were dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment,” he added.Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region chief, said earlier on Thursday evening that two pilots and six passengers were on board.