7 killed including state lawmaker, as two planes collide in Alaska

The official said, Seven people killed as a midair plane collision in Anchorage on Friday, including a state lawmaker who was piloting one of the aircraft, Alaska.

There were no survivors of the crash near the airport in Soldotna, a city on the Kenai Peninsula, the Alaska State Troopers said in a statement.

The troopers said that State Rep. Gary Knopp, who represented the area, was alone in one of the planes. The other plane was carrying four tourists from South Carolina, a guide from Kansas and a pilot from Soldotna.

All seven victims were declared dead at the site except for one person who died while being transported to a hospital, stated the troopers.

Crash garbage fell on a highway, which was shut down briefly out of safety concerns.

The Federal Aviation Administration identified one of the planes as a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

Knopp, 67, was a Republican and a member of the state House bipartisan majority. Several colleagues expressed condolences.

House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, an independent saud, “I’m devastated and shocked to learn of the crash that claimed Gary Knopp’s life."

“Gary was a one-of-a-kind leader and a true Alaskan who worked tirelessly for his district in the Legislature. He will be missed by many, " he added.

The other victims were identified as pilot Gregory Bell, 67, guide David Rogers, 40, and the South Carolina visitors: Caleb Hulsey, 26; Heather Hulsey, 25; Mackay Hulsey, 24; and Kirstin Wright, 23.