Four people died after a small aircraft crashed into shallow, freezing waters shortly after taking off from Seldovia, a remote coastal town in Alaska. The crash highlights the dangers of flying in isolated areas, where severe conditions and tidal waters can complicate emergency response and recovery efforts.

The Piper PA-24-260 went down at about 1.15pm in Seldovia Slough, roughly 136 miles south-west of Anchorage, and was submerged in around 15 feet of water. Responders recovered four bodies at about 6.30pm after the tide fell; their identities have not been released, and the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. The incident follows another fatal Alaska plane crash less than a week earlier, in which eight people died during an approach in heavy fog.