World War II era plane crashes into river in Alaska, no survivors found

A tragic incident unfolded on Tuesday (April 24), as a Douglas C-54 Skymaster aircraft, carrying two individuals, crashed into the Tanana River near Fairbanks and erupted into flames.

Regrettably, no survivors have been located following the plane crash.

The ill-fated flight originated from Fairbanks International Airport earlier in the morning of Tuesday (April 24).

It tragically crashed approximately 7 miles (11 kilometres) from the airport, sliding into a steep hill along the riverbank before catching fire, as reported by the Alaska State Troopers.

Clint Johnson, chief of the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska regional office, stated that the events leading up to the crash remain unclear.

However, the tower operator observed a large plume of smoke, indicating the severity of the incident.

Initially, speculation arose regarding a cabin or fish camp catching fire, but the true nature of the scene only became apparent after landing, leaving passengers shocked and saddened.

The Douglas C-54 is a military variant of the Douglas DC-4, a relic from the World War II era.

While the standard passenger capacity for a DC-4 was 44 during its prime, many have since been repurposed as freighters, according to airlines.net.

Although the Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a Douglas C-54, the troopers referred to it as a DC-4.

The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched investigators to the crash site to gather further details.