Alaska charter plane crash kills 8 people, including 2 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees

The plane took off from Anchorage and is believed to have crashed early Thursday afternoon on approach to Cape Newenham, an NTSB official said.

A charter plane crashed at a remote radar site in Alaska on Thursday, killing all eight people on board, including two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees, the U.S. military said.

The crash happened at Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, some 450 miles west of Anchorage, about 12:15pm Thursday.

“This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve,” U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Eleventh Air Force, said in a statement.

“These individuals were dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment. Our absolute priority right now is providing unwavering support to their families, friends, and teammates during this devastating time. We are profoundly grateful for the swift and tireless response of our search and recovery professionals.”

It was not immediately clear what mission the group was carrying out. The statement said the plane was a “civilian-contracted aircraft.”