The article "Ketchikan doesn't skip a beat as tourists pour in after fatal air crash" (ADN, July 4), should have appeared as an opinion piece such as this one, instead of a follow-up story to the tragic accident on June 25 that occurred near Ketchikan. A line in its second paragraph says: "A week after the plane crash that killed eight sightseeing visitors and their pilot, floatplanes were buzzing in the skies like almost nothing had happened."
The media attention to the accident was surprising, with both state and national news outlets flying to Ketchikan and then scrambling to get hotel rooms, rental cars and interviews. They left town shortly after the names of the victims were made public, likely disappointed with the lack of information they obtained. They wanted answers that, frankly, no one could provide unless they had been at the scene of the accident at the time it occurred. Floatplane companies were unwilling to fly news crews to the scene, stating they weren't going to profit from a disaster, which didn't sit well with at least one crew that was in town. You'd also be hard-pressed to find anyone willing to make a blanket assessment of the factors that may or may not have led to the crash, as there were far too many variables to take into consideration.
But there is much that can be told about my community's response, and given the callous headline, I think it deserves equal time.
From the moment the plane was reported missing, Ketchikan mobilized. Pilots from most, if not all, of the local air taxi companies volunteered to join the search efforts. Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad members left their jobs to prepare to assist Alaska State Troopers and U.S. Coast Guard personnel. These men and women train regularly for the endurance required to scale our mountainous landscape -- whether to rescue a hiker who ventured off the trail or, as was the case here, to assist in retrieving the victims.
Ketchikan Medical Center personnel were alerted to standby. Employees stayed at the hospital long after their shifts ended, preparing for what they hoped would be services needed by survivors. Fire department and other municipal services stood by and local government officials contacted my office to express their desire to provide any assistance that might be needed. Donations of food, water and other offers of aid came pouring in for the volunteers and those directly affected by the accident.
The news of the accident spread quickly, not a surprise considering how integral floatplane operations are to our island and those nearby. The communities in Southeast Alaska, like many other remote Alaska towns, are dependent on air taxi service, whether it's to commute to work, get mail and/or freight moved, make a trip to the doctor or connect with a flight departing the airport.
Aviation has been a part of the culture of our community for nearly a century and no one is immune to the sense of loss from an accident, whether it involved the most experienced bush pilot or a private pilot who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Almost everyone here knows or has a connection to someone who works in the industry.
While the town waited to hear more news, prayers were lifted up on Facebook, via email, texts and phone calls. Several hours later, when the plane had been located, more prayers went out to the family members and friends of the victims.
Despite the tragic occurrence on June 25, tens of thousands of people visiting Ketchikan and other Alaska communities this year will board a floatplane or helicopter to witness amazing scenery, view wildlife and gain a perspective of just how vast our state really is. Commerce doesn't stop every time a life is lost on the Seward Highway. To imply our community wasn't impacted by the accident is heartless, subjective and inappropriate for anything outside of an opinion piece in the Alaska Dispatch News.
Patti Mackey is president & CEO of the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau and a 35-year resident of Ketchikan.
The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)alaskadispatch.com