Update: KTUU is reporting that five people have died (4 cruise passengers and one pilot) and one is still missing.
Original Article: Several Princess Cruises’ passengers are missing after two floatplanes carrying cruise passengers collided during shore excursions earlier today in Alaska. The passengers were traveling on the cruise ship Royal Princess.
Several passengers are currently missing and 10 passengers were injured during the collision that took place during floatplane excursions to the Misty Fjords.
Princess Cruises posted the following statement about the accident:
“On Monday, May 13, 2019, at 1:08 pm local time, a small float plane operated by Taquan Air was operating a shore excursion sold through Princess Cruises was involved in an accident approximately eight (8) nautical miles from Ketchikan, AK. The flight was returning from a Misty Fjords tour and carried ten guests from Royal Princess and a pilot. A second float plane was also involved in an incident and was carrying four guests from Royal Princess on an independent tour.
The U.S. Coast Guard and a local search and rescue teams are on their way to the site of the accident. The condition of those onboard the planes is not known at this time. Princess Cruises has activated members of its Care Team to provide assistance to our guests involved in the incident.
We are incredibly distressed by this situation, and our thoughts and prayers are with those onboard the planes and their families. Princess Cruises is extending its full support to traveling companions of the guests involved.
Royal Princess is sailing a seven day Voyage of the Glaciers cruise that departed Vancouver on May 11 and is scheduled to arrive in Anchorage on Saturday, May 18.”
Cruise Fever will update this article as more information becomes available.