Press Release #1 - Penair Accident at Airport

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:                                                                                

Erin Reinders, City Manager
City of Unalaska
(907) 581-1251 – telephone
[email protected]

PENAIR CRASH AT UNALASKA AIRPORT

Unalaska, Alaska, October 18, 2019 – On Thursday, October 17, 2019 at 5:41 p.m. Unalaska Public Safety officers and Fire/EMS personnel responded to a report of a Saab 2000 aircraft going off the end of the runway while landing at the airport in Unalaska.

Unalaska Police, Fire and EMS personnel and other emergency responders arrived within five minutes of the event. Unalaska units set up incident command with state assets to manage the incident and assess life and safety issues. Once all safety concerns were identified and mitigated, EMS personnel extracted one patient from the aircraft and completed the evacuation of the remaining passengers. All 39 passengers and crew were accounted for.

The Unalaska Fire Department transported seven patients to the Iliuliuk Clinic and four other patients were brought to the clinic by personal vehicle. Patient injuries ranged from minor to critical. Of the patients transported to the clinic, one was medevaced to Anchorage, and one died of traumatic injuries suffered in the crash. Next of kin has been notified.

Law enforcement has secured the scene pending arrival of NTSB investigators, which may arrive as early as today. The runway and vehicle traffic through the area is shut down until further notice. Access to Ballyhoo Road is closed and transportation is being coordinated through Unalaska Public Safety. The aircraft may still pose safety risks so the public is asked to stay away from the area.

Updated information will be provided as it becomes available. Thank you for your continued support and patience.

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