By Frank Kamuntu
In a shocking development, a Cessna 207 operated by Yute Commuter Service crashed just half a mile from the runway at St. Mary’s in USA.
The aircraft had not returned to Bethel at its scheduled time, raising concerns.
Alaska Public News reported that Clint Johnson, the Alaska Chief of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said the pilot had requested a “special Visual Flight Rules” (VFR) clearance, which allows an aircraft to land in conditions that do not meet standard VFR requirements.
“Basically, it permits the aeroplane to land under less-than-basic VFR conditions. When the plane didn’t arrive as expected, a search was initiated shortly after, and it was around midnight when Alaska State Troopers and volunteers located the wreckage,” he said.
National Weather Service data indicated that at the time of the crash in St. Mary’s, the weather conditions were overcast with light rain, fog, and mist, resulting in visibility of approximately 2 miles.
According to Johnson, the flight was not part of Yute’s scheduled or charter flights. He confirmed that two of the deceased were employees of the company while the rest are yet to be identified, as KYUK reported.
The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center alerted the Alaska State Troopers about the overdue aircraft in the St. Mary’s area at approximately 11.15pm an hour after the incident occurred.
Troopers from the village responded to the plane’s last known location and discovered the wreckage.
Wildlife Troopers and officers from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service assisted in transporting the bodies to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy.
In a separate incident, an aircraft carrying 11 people crashed during takeoff at Luchoti Airstrip in Migori county.
The air charter’s management confirmed that all passengers and crew members were safely rescued.
An eyewitness reported hearing a screeching sound from the plane’s wheels before it landed, noting that passengers appeared to struggle while exiting the wreckage.
