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| Ten killed in Alaska air taxi crash | Ten killed in Alaska air taxi crash |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An air taxi has crashed in the US state of Alaska, killing all 10 people aboard, officials say. | An air taxi has crashed in the US state of Alaska, killing all 10 people aboard, officials say. |
| The accident happened on Sunday at the Soldotna airport, south of Anchorage, as the plane took off. | The accident happened on Sunday at the Soldotna airport, south of Anchorage, as the plane took off. |
| The fixed-wing aircraft was engulfed in flames before firefighters could reach it, local officials said. | The fixed-wing aircraft was engulfed in flames before firefighters could reach it, local officials said. |
| The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has sent investigators to the crash, one of several in the state this year. | The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has sent investigators to the crash, one of several in the state this year. |
| Travelling across the state by plane is common in Alaska because of the limited road system and hazardous weather. | Travelling across the state by plane is common in Alaska because of the limited road system and hazardous weather. |
| The de Havilland DHC3 Otter crashed and burned at about 11:00 local (19:00 GMT) on Sunday. | The de Havilland DHC3 Otter crashed and burned at about 11:00 local (19:00 GMT) on Sunday. |
| The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft had been operated by Rediske Air. | The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft had been operated by Rediske Air. |
| "We saw the plume immediately when we left the station," fire captain Lesley Quelland told the Anchorage Daily News. | "We saw the plume immediately when we left the station," fire captain Lesley Quelland told the Anchorage Daily News. |
| "The aircraft was crashed off the side of the runway and it was fully involved in flames," she added. | |
| It took firefighters 10 minutes to put out the blaze, she said. | |
| All the victims, one pilot and nine passengers, died inside the plane. | All the victims, one pilot and nine passengers, died inside the plane. |
| None of the deceased have been officially identified, but a Rediske Air employee confirmed to the Peninsula Clarion newspaper it had been flown by pilot and company owner Willy Rediske. | None of the deceased have been officially identified, but a Rediske Air employee confirmed to the Peninsula Clarion newspaper it had been flown by pilot and company owner Willy Rediske. |
| Soldotna police have said the remains of all 10 people have been sent to the state medical examiner's office in Anchorage for autopsies and positive identifications. | Soldotna police have said the remains of all 10 people have been sent to the state medical examiner's office in Anchorage for autopsies and positive identifications. |