Pilot, 2 daughters survive icy plane crash in Alaska

Three people spent a frigid night on the wing of a partially-submerged plane before being rescued after their plane went down on Tustumena Lake in Alaska.

Three people are lucky to be alive after their plane crashed on an icy lake in Alaska, surviving the night outside in the elements before being rescued.

The plane went down on Sunday night, coming to rest partially submerged on Tustumena Lake, located about 80 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska. The pilot and his two daughters were the only people onboard.

The trio stayed on the wing of the plane overnight before a good Samaritan spotted them on a flight on Monday morning, according to The Associated Press. The temperature that night dipped well below freezing, reaching the mid-20s in Anchorage, but potentially lower on the icy lake where the plane came to rest.

After the survivors were located, the Alaska Army National Guard was alerted and assisted with the rescue. All three were injured, but none of the injuries were life-threatening.

“It was literally the best possible scenario and outcome,” Lt. Col. Brendon Holbrook, commander of the 207th Aviation Regiment, told The Associated Press. “Ultimately the crew of that airplane were lucky, because from what my guys told me, that plane was in the ice with the tail refrozen, and if that tail hadn’t refrozen, it would have sunk.”

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