Medioimages/Photodisc/Thinkstock(JUNEAU, Alaska) — A plane carrying nine people, including several from a cruise ship, crashed on the side of a mountain in Alaska on Thursday, officials said.
Rescuers discovered the wreck of the Promech Air float plane hours after it went missing Thursday afternoon about 300 miles south of Juneau.
Aboard the plane were eight people passengers on the MS Westerdam, a sightseeing ship visiting Ketchikan, according to Holland America Lines, which was operating the cruise. There was also a pilot.
Their conditions were not known.
The plane had been on a shoreline excursion when it crashed about 20 miles northeast of Ketchikan, near Ella Lake, the lines said.
“We are incredibly distressed by this situation, and our thoughts and prayers are with those on board the plane and their families,” Holland America officials wrote in a statement. “Holland America Line is extending its full support to traveling companions of the guests involved.”
The ship was on a 7-day cruise Inside Passage that left from Seattle on June 20, the cruise line said.
Promech Air confirmed that one of their planes had crashed but could not immediately provide further info.
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