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| Photo Taquan Air |
Investigators from the US National Transportation Safety Board - NTSB in Washington DC are flying out to Ketchikan, Alaska to the site of a mid-air collision involving to seaplanes on Monday afternoon.
The full details are still being established, however, it seems that an aircraft - understood to be a de Havilland DHC-3 Otter operated by Taquan Air was returning from the Misty Fjords with ten passengers and a pilot aboard at around 1300 local time. It was approximately 10 miles from Ketchikan and was carrying people from the Royal Princess cruise ship which was en route from the Vancouver in Canada to Anchorage. It then collided in the air with a second aircraft, a single-engine de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver which, according to local media was on an independent tour - again with 4 passengers from the cruise ship and the pilot. The weather at the time is said to have been overcast with a southeasterly wind of no more than 9 miles an hour.
Ten people have been taken to hospital in Ketchikan and are understood to be in a "fair or good" condition. Four others died in the crash and a further two are unaccounted for at this stage.
Princess Cruises, who operate the Royal Princess said, "We are deeply saddened to report this news and our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost their lives and the families of those impacted by today's accident - Princess Cruises is extending its full support to travelling companions of the guests involved."
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