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Plane carrying 11 crashes in Alaska; injuries reported

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Eleven people were rescued Tuesday after a floatplane crashed about 40 miles southwest of Ketchikan, Alaska, officials said.

The Coast Guard said two helicopter crews plucked them from the side of a mountain on Prince of Wales Island. Those on board the de Havilland DHC-3 suffered mostly minor injuries.

Charly Hengen, a spokesperson for the US Coast Guard, said the aircraft's pilot called in shortly before 9 a.m. local time.

The Coast Guard said crews went to the area 40 miles south-southwest of Ketchikan, near Hetta Inlet, 2,000 feet in elevation on Mount Jumbo.

All 11 were taken to a staging area and were to be transported from there to Ketchikan. A helicopter was to take those needing immediate medical treatment to Ketchikan Medical Center, officials said.

Weather at the time of the incident was approximately 2-mile visibility, the Coast Guard said.