2 Alaskans among 4 dead in plane crash near St. Mary's

Updated: 1 an hour ago Published: 1 an hour ago

Alaska State Troopers on Tuesday released the names of the four people killed Sunday evening when a Yute Commuter Service plane crashed near St. Mary's Airport.

Pilot Scott Grillion of Chugiak, 44-year-old Benjamin Sweeny of Sterling, 23-year-old Mario Gioiello of Ohio and 25-year-old Caleb Swortzel of South Carolina were killed in the crash, troopers said. Grillion, 34, worked for Yute Commuter Service and was off duty during the crash, said Clint Johnson, head of the National Transportation Safety Board in Alaska.

Other passengers on the Cessna 207 included a Yute employee, a former employee and a person on a personal trip, according to a statement from company management.

The group was hunting moose in southwest Alaska and left Bethel by plane for St. Mary's on Sunday at about 8:30 or 9 p.m., Johnson said. Grillion had obtained a visual flight permit that allowed him to land despite deteriorating weather conditions, Johnson said.

The plane crashed shortly after 10 p.m. about half a mile from the St. Mary's runway, he said.

Troopers said they were contacted by the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center about an overdue plane near St. Mary's around 11:15 p.m. Troopers drove to the plane's last known location and found the wreckage, they said.

This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.