Alaska State Troopers reported on Thursday that they had been informed by the salvage company tasked with removing the wreckage of the Yute Air Cessna that crashed into the Kwethluk River last Saturday, that the aircraft had been removed from the river.

Troopers responded from Bethel  to the scene to recover the remains of the pilot, Blaze Highlander, which were to be transported to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage for autopsy. Highlander’s body was trapped in the aircraft.

Highlander had taken the aircraft out to break in a newly installed engine in the Cessna. He left Bethel airspace at 8:50 am and was not heard from again. When he did not return that afternoon, troopers were notified of the overdue plane and in turn contacted the Rescue Coordination Center to initiate a search.

After a two-day search, the aircraft was discovered upside-down in the river on Sunday late evening.

Highlander’s next of kin was contacted and updated on the situation troopers report.

The National Transportation Safety Board is continuing their investigation into the cause of the crash.

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