ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A helicopter crashed Thursday night on Alaska’s North Slope. Officials say no survivors were found.
Alaska National Transportation Safety Board Chief Clint Johnson said that the aircraft was a Bell 206L-4 helicopter that was operating out of Maritime Helicopters in Homer, according to KTUU.
According to The Associated Press, Johnson said that the flight had originated in Utqiagvik and was supposed to return there.
“The borough is here to help and we will pray for the missing,” Johnson said, according to the AP.
The North Slope Borough contacted the Federal Aviation Administration, the NTSB, and Alaskan officials after the crash, the AP reported.
Crews with North Slope Search and Rescue found the helicopter partially submerged in a shallow lake about 51 miles or so southwest of Utqiagvik, Johnson said, according to KTUU.
According to the news outlet, Johnson said that Maritime Helicopters lost contact through the electronic tracking system around 7 or 8 p.m., which led to an overdue call.
The North Slope Borough Director of Government and External Affairs D.J. Fauske said that the search time was alerted of an overdue helicopter just after 11 p.m., KTUU reported.
Fauske told the AP in a text Friday that no bodies were seen or recovered.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. It is unclear how many people were on the helicopter.
