RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. The U.S. military has named a servicemember killed in a plane crash in a remote area of western Alaska last week as 2nd Lieutenant Leah R. Borsich, as aviation authorities investigate the cause of the fatal incident.
Borsich, 23, was a project programmer with the 661th Civil Engineer Squadron based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, U.S. forces based in Alaska said in a statement released Monday.
Eight people were killed on Thursday when a Cessna 441 charter aircraft crashed while approaching Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, a remote U.S. Air Force-operated base around 450 miles west of Alaska's largest city.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it had chartered the aircraft and that two of its employees were among those killed in the crash.
Two of those on board were pilots, and the other six were passengers, said Clint Johnson, the Alaska chief for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the government agency tasked with investigating civil transportation accidents.
While officials did not disclose the purpose of the flight, the top U.S. commander in Alaska said those on board "were dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment."
Cape Newenham, perched on the Bering Sea, is one in a network of radar stations stretching across Canada and Alaska that pick up potential threats, including missiles or aircraft, approaching North America. These radar stations are managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center, housed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson along with the headquarters of the U.S. 11th Air Force.
Borsich was a "positive leader who brought tremendous energy and enthusiasm to our command," said Colonel Timothy Meerstein, the commander of Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center.
"She led with professionalism, compassion and purpose, and her presence strengthened the bonds between the people around her," Meerstein said. "She made a lasting impact on our team, and we are grateful for her service and commitment to our nation."
NTSB investigators visited the crash site on Sunday to document the scene and inspect the wrecka ge, the agency said. The NTSB published an image of one of its employees walking close to the the burnt-out remains of the aircraft, what appears to be the base's runway visible in the background.
The NTSB is expected to publish its initial findings on the crash in the next three weeks, followed by a full report on the likely cause of the incident within the next two years.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
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