Alaska State Troopers say four people died Wednesday in the crash of a small plane into a slough in the Kenai Peninsula community of Seldovia.
The Piper PA-24 inbound from Merrill Field Airport in Anchorage crashed in the waters of Seldovia Slough just after 1:15 p.m., troopers said in an online statement.
The plane crashed near Seldovia’s airport and was submerged in 13 to 17 feet of water, according to Clint Johnson, Alaska region chief for the National Transportation Safety Board. Troopers said they received a report of the crash at 1:18 p.m.
People at the scene tried to reach the plane and rescue anyone inside but could not reach the aircraft, Johnson said.
Troopers had arrived at the crash site as of about 4:30 p.m., said Austin McDaniel, spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety. Alaska State Troopers and Wildlife Troopers from Anchor Point responded on a patrol vessel and the agency dispatched a helicopter from Anchorage.
At approximately 6:30 p.m., after the tide level dropped, troopers said they were able to extract the four bodies from inside the plane.
The State Medical Examiner Office will conduct an autopsy.
The NTSB is investigating the cause of the crash.