The world woke up to a series of serious aviation accidents that marked the last hours in different parts of the globe.
Within a day, serious crashes in Alaska, Russia and Kenya put rescue services on their feet, and among the victims are senior government officials and popular businessmen.
Charter plane crash in Alaska - 8 people missing
A charter plane with eight people on board crashed in a remote region of Western Alaska. According to official information from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the twin-engine Cessna 441, operated by Security Aviation, was flying from Anchorage to Cape Newenham. There were two pilots and six passengers on board.
The plane crashed near the Air Force airport, which provides access to a long-range radar station. A large-scale search operation is currently underway. Teams from the US Coast Guard and local police have been sent to the scene. There is still no official information about the condition of the people on board and whether there are any survivors.
- Source of information: Associated Press (Associated Press - apnews.com)
2. Drama in Russia: Avialesoohrana plane catches fire after landing in Sakhalin
In the Russian region of Sakhalin, an An-3 plane made an emergency landing in a field and burst into flames. The incident occurred immediately after an attempt to take off from the village of Zonalnoye. The Russian Emergencies Ministry reported that at an altitude of about 800 meters, a technical malfunction occurred and the plane's engine failed.
Thanks to the pilot's quick and professional response, the plane was able to plan and make an emergency landing in a field between the villages of Kirovskoe and Zonalnoye. There were a total of 7 people on board, including several paratroopers from the forest guard service. All of them managed to evacuate successfully seconds before the plane was completely engulfed in fire. There were no deaths or injuries in the incident. Twelve firefighters and specialized equipment are working at the scene.
- Source of information: TASS (tass.ru) / Russian Emergencies Ministry
3. Tragedy in Kenya: American millionaire and intelligence director killed in helicopter crash
A luxury tourist helicopter Eurocopter EC130 crashed in a mountainous area in northern Kenya, killing all 7 people on board. The machine was transporting foreign tourists on an organized safari from the Loisaba reserve to the Ewaso Niro area when it crashed at the foot of the sacred Ololokwe mountain in Samburu County.
Among the victims is the famous American millionaire and restaurateur from Miami, Roger Duarte (founder of George Stone Crab). Along with him, José Alberto Suárez, a senior media manager and CEO of the American television network Telemundo (NBCUniversal), also died. The director of Ecuador's National Intelligence Center, Michele Sensi-Contuji, and his wife also died in the same crash. The US State Department expressed its official condolences to the relatives. The investigation into the causes of the tragedy is complicated by the complex mountainous terrain and the fire that broke out at the scene of the collision.
- Source of information: CNN (cnn.com) / BBC (bbc.com)
The situation with all three incidents remains dynamic, with aviation authorities in the US, Russia and Kenya continuing to clarify the exact technical reasons that led to the black series of crashes.