Douglas C-54 plane crashes into frozen river outside Fairbanks, Alaska, no survivors found

A Douglas C-54 plane carrying fuel crashed into a frozen river shortly after takeoff in Fairbanks, Alaska, on Tuesday, ABC News reported Wednesday, citing the National Transportation Safety Board.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, two people were on board the plane. The FAA is also investigating the incident, ABC News reports.

According to preliminary information, the Part 91 fuel transport flight operated by Alaska Air Fuel crashed into the Tanana River shortly after takeoff from Fairbanks International Airport around 10 a.m. local time, the report said, citing officials.

After takeoff, the plane crashed about seven miles from the airport and “slid into a steep hill on the riverbank where it caught fire,” the Associated Press reported, citing Alaska State Troopers.

The Alaska Department of Public Safety said in a statement shortly before 2 p.m. local time: “The aircraft slid down a steep hill on the riverbank where it caught fire. No survivors have been located.”

The head of the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska regional office, Clint Johnson, said it remained unclear what happened in the time between takeoff and the crash, but the tower operator “saw a large plume of smoke.”

Michaela Matherne, who flew from the village of Galena to Fairbanks to catch a flight to New Orleans, said her plane was diverted to verify the coordinates of the crash site, AP reported.

“We actually didn’t know what we were looking at until we landed a few minutes later,” she told AP.

“We were shocked and saddened to hear that,” she added.