Alaska

Alaska Airlines plane was struck by an eagle, forcing flight back to the airport

Published

1 year ago

December 31, 2024

Alaska Airlines plane was struck by an eagle, forcing flight back to the airport

An Alaska Airlines flight on Christmas Eve from Anchorage to Fairbanks was forced to turn around after an eagle hit the plane.

On Sunday, a major plane crash at a South Korean airport that killed 179 people and left just two survivors is also believed to have been caused by a bird strike — meaning a collision between a bird and an aircraft.

Alaska Airlines flight 2041 had taken off from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport at 11:40 a.m. local time on Dec. 24, but turned around and returned about 30 minutes later, according to FlightAware data. That flight typically takes about an hour.

Passenger Michelle Tatela was visiting from Chicago when the incident happened.

“We’re in the air, and after a few minutes, we were told we were turning back around out of an abundance of caution, to come back to Anchorage,” she told NBC affiliate KTUU of Anchorage.

When the plane landed back in Anchorage, she said passengers learned that a bird strike involving an eagle was behind the sudden return.

“The eagle survived at that time,” Tatela told the station. “And there were a bunch of police cars around the plane. Normally, it would be a scarier situation, but knowing that it was a bird … and then they said the eagle was going to the eagle hospital, and he had a broken wing.”

However, the eagle’s wing damage was too great for rehabilitation and it was euthanized on arrival, Bird Treatment and Learning Center Executive Director Laura Atwood said, KTUU reported.

“Everybody was really excited that they said the eagle had been removed and he was going to the sanctuary,” Tatela said. “We’re hoping for a happier ending for the eagle, but it is a jet, so there’s that.”

She and other passengers were put on another flight to Fairbanks.

An Alaska Airlines spokesperson told the station that no emergency was declared and that the captain and first officer are trained for situations like a bird strike. NBC News has reached out to the airline for further comment.

The spokesperson added that the aircraft was removed from service for inspection and has since been returned to service.

In the case of Sunday’s plane tragedy in South Korea, the pilot of Jeju Air Flight 2216 had declared mayday after issuing the bird strike alert, said Joo Jong-wan, director of the Aviation Policy Division at South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The plane skidded off the runway while landing at Muan International Airport, about 180 miles south of Seoul, and burst into flames after crashing.

Joo said the plane was completely destroyed by the ensuing fire and a full investigation, that could take six months to three years, will take place.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading an American team, including Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration, that will assist South Korea in investigating.

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Alaska

Musician performs under the aurora in Nenana — without gloves, in 17 degrees

Published

7 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Musician performs under the aurora in Nenana — without gloves, in 17 degrees

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – A musician with Alaska Native roots recorded an hour-long live set in Interior Alaska beneath the aurora.

Chastity Ashley, a drummer, vocalist and DJ who performs under the name Neon Pony, celebrated a year since she traveled to Nenana to record a live music set beneath the northern lights for her series Beats and Hidden Retreats.

Ashley, who has Indigenous roots in New Mexico, said she was drawn to Alaska in part because of the role drums play in Alaska Native culture. A handmade Alaskan hand drum, brought to her by a man from just outside Anchorage, was incorporated into the performance in February 2025.

Recording in the cold

The team spent eight days in Nenana waiting for the aurora to appear. Ashley said the lights did not come out until around 4 a.m., and she performed a continuous, uninterrupted hour-long set in 17-degree weather without gloves.

“It was freezing. I couldn’t wear gloves because I’m actually playing, yeah, hand drums and holding drumsticks. And there was ice underneath my feet,” Ashley said.

“So, I had to really utilize my balance and my willpower and my ability to just really immerse in the music and let go and make it about the celebration of what I was doing as opposed to worrying about all the other elements or what could go wrong.”

She said she performed in a leotard to allow full range of motion while drumming, DJing and singing.

Filming on Nenana tribal land

Ashley said she did not initially know the filming location was on indigenous land. After local authorities told her the decision was not theirs to make, she contacted the Nenana tribe directly for permission.

“I went into it kind of starting to tell them who I was and that I too was a part of a native background,” Ashley said. “And they just did not even care. They’re like, listen, we’re about to have a party for one of our friends here. Go and do what you like.”

Ashley said the tribe gave her full permission to film on the reservation, and that the aurora footage seen in the episode was captured there.

Seeing the aurora for the first time

Ashley said the Nenana performance marked her first time seeing the northern lights in person.

“It felt as if I were awake in a dream,” she said. “It really doesn’t seem real.”

She said she felt humbled and blessed to perform beneath the aurora and to celebrate its beauty and grandeur through her music.

“I feel incredibly humbled and blessed that not only did I get to take part in seeing something like that, but to play underneath it and celebrate its beauty and its grandeur.”

The Alaska episode is the second installment of Beats and Hidden Retreats, which is available on YouTube at @NeonPony. Ashley said two additional episodes are in production and she hopes to make it back up to Alaska in the future.

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Alaska

Over $150K worth of drugs seized from man in Juneau, police say

Published

19 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Over 0K worth of drugs seized from man in Juneau, police say

JUNEAU, Alaska (KTUU) – An Alaska drug task force seized roughly $162,000 worth of controlled substances during an operation in Juneau Thursday, according to the Juneau Police Department.

Around 3 p.m. Thursday, investigators with the Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs (SEACAD) approached 50-year-old Juneau resident Jermiah Pond in the Nugget Mall parking lot while he was sitting in his car, according to JPD.

A probation search of the car revealed a container holding about 7.3 gross grams of a substance that tested presumptively positive for methamphetamine, as well as about 1.21 gross grams of a substance that tested presumptively positive for fentanyl.

As part of the investigation, investigators executed a search warrant at Pond’s residence, during which they found about 46.63 gross grams of ketamine, 293.56 gross grams of fentanyl, 25.84 gross grams of methamphetamine and 25.5 gross grams of MDMA.

In all, it amounted to just less than a pound of drugs worth $162,500.

Investigators also seized $102,640 in cash and multiple recreational vehicles believed to be associated with the investigation.

Pond was lodged on charges of second-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance, two counts of third-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance, five counts of fourth-degree misconduct involving a substance and an outstanding felony probation warrant.

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Alaska

Sand Point teen found 3 days after going missing in lake

Published

1 day ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Sand Point teen found 3 days after going missing in lake

SAND POINT, Alaska (KTUU) – A teenage boy who was last seen Monday when the canoe he was in tipped over has been found by a dive team in a lake near Sand Point, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Alaska’s News Source confirmed with the person, who is close to the search efforts, that the dive team found 15-year-old Kaipo Kaminanga deceased Thursday in Red Cove Lake, located a short drive from the town of Sand Point on the Aleutian Island chain.

Kaminanga was last seen canoeing with three other friends on Monday when the boat tipped over.

A search and rescue operation ensued shortly after.

Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team posted on Facebook Thursday night that they were able to “locate and recover” Kaminanga at around 5 p.m. Thursday.

“We are glad we could bring closure to his family, friends and community,” the post said.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated when more details become available.

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