Wrangell plane reported down on Admiralty

(Story updated at 5 p.m. Friday, April 8)

A Cessna 206 crashed on southern Admiralty Island in Southeast Alaska on Friday morning.

The Cessna is registered to Wrangell air service Sunrise Aviation, and had departed from Wrangell Friday morning.

U.S. Coast Guard rescue controller Nick Meyer reported that the Cessna 206’s satellite distress signal went off at 9:28 a.m., and that the crashed plane was spotted at 11:25 a.m. about 20 miles southeast of Angoon.

Petty Officer 1st Class Shawn Eggert with the USCG Public Affairs Detachment was able to confirm the Sitka Mountain Rescue team reached the crash site with the Coast Guard copter crew and were able to locate one survivor, with three other passengers confirmed deceased.

The names of the passengers onboard have not been released, but the survivor has been taken to Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau for treatment.

“The Alaska State Troopers have taken the lead on it at this point,” Eggert said.

“We are working closely with Alaska State Troopers in responding to this incident,” said USCG 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.