Charter plane crash kills eight in remote part of western Alaska, military says

A charter aircraft transporting eight people crashed at a remote radar site in western Alaska, killing all on board, the U.S. military said. 

The Cessna 441, a twin-engine turboprop, took off from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on Thursday and crashed near Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, which is approximately 450 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska, the Associated Press reported. 

The radar site, which is managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center, is part of a network of remote radar sites that track aircraft flying over Alaska's vast airspace and borders, according to Alaska Command. 

The plane was referred to as a "civilian-contracted aircraft" and no further information was provided on why the passengers were flying to the area. 

U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Eleventh Air Force, described the group as "dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment."