Mark Henderson dies in fatal southeast Alaska plane crash
Fatal southeast Alaska plane crash death of Mark Henderson – Obituary
Six individuals who perished in a sightseeing plane accident in southeast Alaska have been identified after a challenging recovery effort due to adverse weather conditions.
Late Saturday, Alaska State Troopers released the names of the pilot and five passengers who were on the ill-fated flight that went down on Thursday. The aircraft was returning from Misty Fjords National Monument to Ketchikan when the crash occurred.
The deceased passengers include Mark Henderson, 69, and Jacquelyn Komplin, 60, both from Napa, California; Andrea McArthur, 55, and Rachel McArthur, 20, from Woodstock, Georgia; and Janet Kroll, 77, from Mount Prospect, Illinois. The pilot was Rolf Lanzendorfer, 64, from Cle Elum, Washington.
The group was on an excursion from the Holland America Line cruise ship Nieuw Amsterdam.
Ketchikan is a popular destination for cruise ships in Alaska, offering various sightseeing opportunities, including small plane flights over Misty Fjords National Monument.
The aircraft’s emergency beacon was activated at approximately 11:20 a.m. Thursday, following the crash near the monument, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
A helicopter team spotted the wreckage on a ridgeline in the search area, and Coast Guard personnel located it around 2:40 p.m. Despite efforts by rescue swimmers, no survivors were found.
Initial recovery attempts were delayed by poor weather and reduced visibility. Alaska State Troopers and the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad eventually accessed the crash site on Saturday afternoon via a chartered Temsco helicopter.
The remains of the victims will be transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Anchorage. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash’s cause.
Fatal southeast Alaska plane crash death of Mark Henderson – Obituary Six individuals who perished in a sightseeing plane accident in southeast Alaska have been identified after a challenging recovery effort due to adverse weather conditions. Late Saturday, Alaska State Troopers released the names of the pilot and five passengers who were on the ill-fated…
Fatal southeast Alaska plane crash death of Mark Henderson – Obituary Six individuals who perished in a sightseeing plane accident in southeast Alaska have been identified after a challenging recovery effort due to adverse weather conditions. Late Saturday, Alaska State Troopers released the names of the pilot and five passengers who were on the ill-fated…