Former Senator Ted Stevens dies in Alaska plane crash.
Former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, 86, has died in a plane crash in Alaska while en route to a fishing trip.
Former Nasa chief Sean O'Keefe was also aboard the small plane with his teenage son, but both survived.
Officials said five people had been killed and four had survived - with two badly hurt.
The wreckage is located on a mountainside near the town of Dillingham. Rescue and recovery efforts were slowed by bad weather.
President Barack Obama paid tribute to Mr Stevens in a statement.
"A decorated World War II veteran, Senator Ted Stevens devoted his career to serving the people of Alaska and fighting for our men and women in uniform," he said.
"Michelle and I extend our condolences to the entire Stevens family and to the families of those who perished alongside Senator Stevens in this terrible accident."
Also killed was the pilot, Theron "Terry" Smith, 62, and a 16 year-old.
Mr O'Keefe and his teenage son suffered broken bones and other injuries, former NASA spokesman Glenn Mahone said.
The alarm was raised on Monday evening when the plane failed to land on schedule. Shortly afterwards, local residents spotted the wreckage on the side of a mountain about 17 miles north of Dillingham.
Harsh weather conditions hampered the rescue effort until early the next morning, and Alaska National Guard used helicopter hoists to rescue four survivors.
Several local Samaritans had reached the wreckage before rescuers could arrive and tended to the survivors, officials said. The survivors were flown to Anchorage.
A crash investigation team arrived in the afternoon from Washington DC.
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Former Nasa chief Sean O'Keefe was also aboard the small plane with his teenage son, but both survived.
Officials said five people had been killed and four had survived - with two badly hurt.
The wreckage is located on a mountainside near the town of Dillingham. Rescue and recovery efforts were slowed by bad weather.
President Barack Obama paid tribute to Mr Stevens in a statement.
"A decorated World War II veteran, Senator Ted Stevens devoted his career to serving the people of Alaska and fighting for our men and women in uniform," he said.
"Michelle and I extend our condolences to the entire Stevens family and to the families of those who perished alongside Senator Stevens in this terrible accident."
Also killed was the pilot, Theron "Terry" Smith, 62, and a 16 year-old.
Mr O'Keefe and his teenage son suffered broken bones and other injuries, former NASA spokesman Glenn Mahone said.
The alarm was raised on Monday evening when the plane failed to land on schedule. Shortly afterwards, local residents spotted the wreckage on the side of a mountain about 17 miles north of Dillingham.
Harsh weather conditions hampered the rescue effort until early the next morning, and Alaska National Guard used helicopter hoists to rescue four survivors.
Several local Samaritans had reached the wreckage before rescuers could arrive and tended to the survivors, officials said. The survivors were flown to Anchorage.
A crash investigation team arrived in the afternoon from Washington DC.
For more news
