Man, Two Juveniles Rescued from Plane Wreckage Near Homer, Alaska

A man and two juveniles were successfully rescued from the wreckage of a small plane near Homer, Alaska, after the aircraft was reported overdue Sunday night, Fox News reports.

Alaska State Troopers received an alert around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday that a Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser aircraft had failed to reach its destination. Authorities suspected the plane might be located in the challenging terrain of the Kenai Mountains and Tustumena Lake, east of Homer.

An immediate search and rescue operation was launched, involving the Rescue Coordination Center and a Coast Guard AC-130. An Air Guard C-130 and HH-60 helicopter were also placed on standby to assist in the search.

The breakthrough came Monday morning when a “good Samaritan” aircraft located the wreckage of the downed plane near the eastern side of Tustumena Lake.

The Alaska Army National Guard swiftly deployed to the site and successfully rescued the adult pilot and two juvenile passengers at approximately 10:30 a.m. All three were transported to a hospital on the Kenai Peninsula to receive treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.