Anchorage: Two seaplanes collided in midair on Monday over south-eastern Alaska, killing at least four of those aboard, injuring 10 others and leaving three people missing, US Coast Guard and Federal Aviation Administration officials said. A seaplane crash near Ketchikan, Alaska, in 2018. Credit:AP The two aircraft went down over water about 40-48 kilometres north-east of Ketchikan, Coast Guard Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios said. The crash site, which the FAA said was at Coon Cove near George Inlet, lies in the vicinity of a popular tourist lodge that runs excursions to the nearby Misty Fjords National Monument, about 480 kilometres south of Juneau, Alaska's capital. One of the aircraft was a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver with five people aboard, and the other was a de Havilland Otter DHC-3 carrying 11 people, FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer said.<doc-sep>Six people died and 10 others were hospitalized after two aircraft collided in midair over Alaska on Monday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Alaska State Troopers confirmed the identities of the deceased after notifying their next of kin. They are: Simon Bodie, 56, of Tempe, New South Wales, Australia Louis Both, 46, San Diego Randy Sullivan, 46, of Ketchikan, Alaska, one of the aircraft's pilots Cassandra Webb, 62, of St. Louis Elsa Wilk, 37, of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada Ruan Wilk, 39, of Utah The Canadian and Australian consulates have been notified, according to state troopers. As of early Tuesday, the search was ongoing for two travelers after four bodies had been recovered following the incident. "There are two people that we're still searching for at this time," Coast Guard Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios told ABC News in an interview that aired Tuesday on "Good Morning America." "Our crews are out there searching diligently alongside our partner agencies and some good Samaritans. They've been searching throughout the day, by both air and by sea." The deadly collision took place Monday afternoon in Coon Cove, Alaska, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. A de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver with five people on board and a de-Havilland Otter DHC-3 carrying 11 people clashed in midair "under unknown circumstances," the FAA said in a statement Monday. Ten people with injuries from the incident were taken to PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center, according to hospital spokeswoman Mischa Chernick. Three of the patients were listed in serious condition, while seven were in fair condition, Chernick told ABC News. Both planes were on sightseeing tours, carrying guests from the Royal Princess cruise ship, which is on a seven-day voyage that departed Vancouver on May 11 and is scheduled to arrive in Anchorage on Saturday, according to Princess Cruise Lines. The aircraft collided approximately eight nautical miles from Ketchikan, Alaska. The two people who had been listed as missing, the Australian and the Canadian travelers, both were guests on the Royal Princess cruise ship, which has since departed the area and continued on its voyage, according to Princess Cruise Lines. "All of us at Princess Cruises are deeply saddened by this tragic news and we are extending our full support to the investigating authorities as well as the traveling companions of the guests involved," Brian O'Connor, a spokesman for the cruise line, said in a statement Tuesday. "We immediately activated our Princess Care Team employees in the region and sent additional team members to Ketchikan overnight to assist the families impacted." One of the planes was operated by Taquan Air, which said it has suspended all scheduled flights and is cooperating fully with investigators. "We are devastated by this news and our hearts go out to our passengers and their families," the airline said in a statement Monday. The Coast Guard, the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are all investigating the incident. ABC News' Mya Green, Marilyn Heck, Alex Stone, Matt Stone and Jim Vojtech contributed to this report. The Canadian and Australian consulates have been notified, according to state troopers. As of early Tuesday, the search was ongoing for two travelers after four bodies had been recovered following the incident. "There are two people that we're still searching for at this time," Coast Guard Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios told ABC News in an interview that aired Tuesday on "Good Morning America." "Our crews are out there searching diligently alongside our partner agencies and some good Samaritans. They've been searching throughout the day, by both air and by sea." The deadly collision took place Monday afternoon in Coon Cove, Alaska, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. A de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver with five people on board and a de-Havilland Otter DHC-3 carrying 11 people clashed in midair "under unknown circumstances," the FAA said in a statement Monday. Ten people with injuries from the incident were taken to PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center, according to hospital spokeswoman Mischa Chernick. Three of the patients were listed in serious condition, while seven were in fair condition, Chernick told ABC News. Both planes were on sightseeing tours, carrying guests from the Royal Princess cruise ship, which is on a seven-day voyage that departed Vancouver on May 11 and is scheduled to arrive in Anchorage on Saturday, according to Princess Cruise Lines. The aircraft collided approximately eight nautical miles from Ketchikan, Alaska. The two people who had been listed as missing, the Australian and the Canadian travelers, both were guests on the Royal Princess cruise ship, which has since departed the area and continued on its voyage, according to Princess Cruise Lines. "All of us at Princess Cruises are deeply saddened by this tragic news and we are extending our full support to the investigating authorities as well as the traveling companions of the guests involved," Brian O'Connor, a spokesman for the cruise line, said in a statement Tuesday. "We immediately activated our Princess Care Team employees in the region and sent additional team members to Ketchikan overnight to assist the families impacted." One of the planes was operated by Taquan Air, which said it has suspended all scheduled flights and is cooperating fully with investigators. "We are devastated by this news and our hearts go out to our passengers and their families," the airline said in a statement Monday. The Coast Guard, the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are all investigating the incident. ABC News' Mya Green, Marilyn Heck, Alex Stone, Matt Stone and Jim Vojtech contributed to this report. Ten people with injuries from the incident were taken to PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center, according to hospital spokeswoman Mischa Chernick. Three of the patients were listed in serious condition, while seven were in fair condition, Chernick told ABC News. Both planes were on sightseeing tours, carrying guests from the Royal Princess cruise ship, which is on a seven-day voyage that departed Vancouver on May 11 and is scheduled to arrive in Anchorage on Saturday, according to Princess Cruise Lines. The aircraft collided approximately eight nautical miles from Ketchikan, Alaska. The two people who had been listed as missing, the Australian and the Canadian travelers, both were guests on the Royal Princess cruise ship, which has since departed the area and continued on its voyage, according to Princess Cruise Lines. "All of us at Princess Cruises are deeply saddened by this tragic news and we are extending our full support to the investigating authorities as well as the traveling companions of the guests involved," Brian O'Connor, a spokesman for the cruise line, said in a statement Tuesday. "We immediately activated our Princess Care Team employees in the region and sent additional team members to Ketchikan overnight to assist the families impacted." One of the planes was operated by Taquan Air, which said it has suspended all scheduled flights and is cooperating fully with investigators. "We are devastated by this news and our hearts go out to our passengers and their families," the airline said in a statement Monday. The Coast Guard, the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are all investigating the incident. ABC News' Mya Green, Marilyn Heck, Alex Stone, Matt Stone and Jim Vojtech contributed to this report.<doc-sep>
The death toll in the midair collision between two floatplanes carrying tourists from a cruise ship in Alaska rose to five — and one person remains unaccounted for, according to reports. A total of 16 people were aboard the two planes – a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver and a de Havilland Otter DHC-3 – when they collided over George Inlet near Ketchikan, the Alaska Daily News reported. Fourteen of them were passengers on the megaship Royal Princess, which was on its inaugural Alaskan cruise that was scheduled to arrive in Anchorage on Saturday, according to a statement from Princess. A US Coast Guard update Monday night said four people were confirmed dead and two were still missing, but Princess said five people were killed. Ketchikan-based Taquan Air operated the Otter, with 10 passengers and the pilot, while the company flying the Beaver has not yet been identified. “The US Coast Guard and local search and rescue teams have confirmed that nine of the guests and the pilot on the Taquan Air plane have been rescued and are receiving medical attention,” Taquan said in a statement. The condition of one passenger was “unknown” by late Monday, the company said. The Taquan Air plane was returning from a Misty Fjords tour, according to Princess, and the second plane was carrying four people from the ship on an independent tour when they collided about 1 p.m. Monday. “It has also been confirmed there are five fatalities from the independent air tour, four Royal Princess guests and one pilot,” Princess Cruises said in a statement. “Princess Cruises has activated members of its Care Team to provide assistance to the families impacted by today’s accident.” Ten people were admitted to PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Mischa Chernick told the newspaper. “We have one in critical condition, three in serious condition, and six in fair condition,” she said. Chris John, an official with the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad, said it appeared the Beaver crashed on a steep rocky shoreline, ending up partially submerged and upside down. The Otter crashed about a mile away and also ended up in the water, said Lt. Brian Dykens, a Coast Guard spokesman in Juneau. Floatplanes have pontoons mounted under the fuselage so they can land on water. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board from Anchorage and Washington, DC, were expected to arrive at the scene Tuesday. It’s not the first time a major plane crash has occurred near the popular tourist destination. In June 2015, a pilot and eight passengers died when a de Havilland Otter operated by Promech Air crashed into mountains about 24 miles from Ketchikan. The NTSB later determined that pilot error and lack of a formal safety program were behind the accident. With Post Wires