Five passengers sailing with Holland America Line died on Thursday in an independent sightseeing plane accident near Ketchikan, Alaska, the cruise line announced. The plane’s pilot also died, leaving no survivors.
“We can confirm that a float plane carrying five guests from Nieuw Amsterdam was involved in an accident in Ketchikan, and there are no survivors,” Holland America Line said on Twitter. “It was an independent tour not sold by Holland America Line. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victims.”
According to a statement by the U.S. Coast Guard, the downed airplane was located at 2:37 p.m. eight miles northeast of Ketchikan. An Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon registered to a da Havilland Beaver aircraft was activated near the Misty Fjords area at 11:20 a.m. The U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Wildlife Troopers, U.S. Forest Service and volunteers from the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad responded to the area to attempt to locate the crash site, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety.
The crash site was found in “a steep mountainous area near Misty Fjords,” the Alaska Department of Public Safety said in its statement.
Weather conditions, according to the Coast Guard, were 8 mph winds, visibility of two miles, ceilings of 900 feet with a mist and light rain.
According to USA Today, the plane was traveling from Misty Fjords and was on its way back to Ketchikan, where Nieuw Amsterdam was docked. The cruise line delayed the departure of the ship following the accident and made counseling services available to guests and crew, USA Today added. The ship is currently near the end of a seven-day Alaska cruise that departed Seattle, Washington, Saturday, July 31, 2021. The ship will arrive as scheduled in Seattle on Saturday, August 7.
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