The treacherous aftermath of a plane crash in Alaska has left two men presumably dead. Their aircraft is currently stranded at the base of a steep ravine. Despite efforts by multiple agencies to retrieve the bodies and wreckage, the mission has been deemed too dangerous to proceed. The National Park Service (NPS), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Alaska State Troopers, and the Alaska Air National Guard Rescue Coordination Center (AKRCC) have conducted a thorough review of the incident. The team has concluded that a ground operation to recover the victims and the plane would be complex and potentially high-risk.
A spokesperson for the NPS stated that more investigation of the site will need to be completed by Denali mountaineering rangers. The rugged terrain and adverse weather conditions have hindered rescue efforts, making it unsafe for personnel to access the wreckage.
The search for the missing plane began on Wednesday, but adverse weather conditions forced search and rescue teams to suspend their efforts. It wasn’t until Thursday morning that a crew located the wreckage at the bottom of a narrow ravine. However, due to the steep terrain, the search crew was unable to land at the accident site. The NPS issued a statement, noting that the chances of survival from the crash were unlikely.
Mountaineering rangers from Denali National Park returned to the site on Thursday the recovery operation. Unfortunately, the narrowness of the ravine prevented the helicopter from maneuvering effectively. The NTSB deployed a drone to explore alternative collection methods.
A hunter initially contacted the Alaska State Troopers for rescue using an emergency satellite communicator. He revealed that the pilot, 45-year-old Jason Tucker, was supposed to transport his hunting partner, 44-year-old Nicolas Blace. The pilot was planning to fly to the preserve’s border and then return to retrieve the hunter. However, that plan was never completed as a result of the mysterious crash.