Former US senator Ted Stevens, who served Alaska for four decades in the senate, died in the crash of a small aircraft in Alaska on Monday night, according to a family friend.
“The family has been notified that Senator Stevens did not survive the crash,” said Mitch Rose, former chief of staff for the longtime Republican senator.
The family had released a brief statement following the crash of the plane with nine aboard, including four survivors: “The Ted Stevens family offers their prayers for all those on board and for their families. We thank the brave men and women who are working to reach the site. We continue to work with the Alaska National Guard, the US Coast Guard and the Alaska State Troopers. We thank everyone for their support and prayers.”
Former National Aeronautics and Space Administration head Sean O’Keefe was also on board the plane, said a spokesman for European Aeronautic, Defence and Space (EADS) Company.
Mr O’Keefe (54), chief executive officer of EADS North America, and his son, are believed to have survived the crash.
Rescuers from the Alaska National Guard’s 212th and 210th Rescue Squadrons were on the scene, National Guard spokeswoman Kalei Brooks said.
The Coast Guard said that four of nine people aboard the aircraft had survived the crash.
The DeHavilland DHC-3T plane crashed at about 8pm on Monday night northwest of Aleknagik, Alaska, according to a National Transportation Safety Board statement.
Two of the survivors were transported to a hospital in nearby Dillingham, while a third was en route, said Petty Officer Sean Terry of the Coast Guard Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Juneau.
The goal was to take those three to a medical facility in Anchorage, he said in a phone interview. The fourth survivor was still at the crash scene, he said.
Bad weather initially delayed rescue efforts, said Megan Peters, a spokeswoman for the Alaska State Troopers.
The Alaska Rescue Co-ordination Centre, operated by the Air National Guard, responded with a helicopter and plane after the crash site was spotted by other aircraft The area is a difficult place to mount rescues, Ms Peters said.
Stevens (86) lost a bid for re-election in 2008 following a conviction later overturned.
The Alaska Republican was accused of failing to disclose more than $250,000 in gifts from a former oil executive and others and was convicted in October 2008.
The verdict was overturned by a US judge who ordered an investigation into alleged criminal conduct by prosecutors. – (Bloomberg)