Jul. 27—Six people were injured Tuesday morning when a floatplane crashed as it prepared to depart from the Lake Hood Seaplane Base in Anchorage, officials said.
The de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver crashed just before 9:20 a.m., said Clint Johnson, chief of the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska office. Two of the people onboard were seriously injured and four had minor injuries, he said. All were taken to a hospital.
The Regal Air plane crashed at the end of one of the man-made canals on the lake, where a number of offices and planes are located, Johnson said. The Regal Air office is at the base of a strip of land that Johnson described as a finger. The plane was taxiing out of the area when it struck the end of the finger, he said.
All five passengers were visitors from Outside, Johnson said, and the plane was headed for Katmai National Park and Preserve. Regal Air offers flights to the park for bear viewing, according to its website. Officials from the company declined to comment on the crash Tuesday afternoon.
The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport Police and Fire Department responded to the scene, along with the Anchorage Fire Department.
It wasn't immediately clear what caused the crash, but Johnson said the NTSB is investigating.
The plane was still in the water Tuesday afternoon, and Johnson said Regal Air was working to move the wreckage onto land. The plane was significantly damaged.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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