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WASHINGTON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - The head of plane manufacturer EADS <EAD.PA> North American unit, Sean O'Keefe, and former Republican U.S. Senator Ted Stevens were aboard a plane that crashed in Alaska, and it was not immediately known if they survived, EADS and a congressional source said on Tuesday.
"Local authorities are reporting that there are survivors and a rescue operation is under way," EADS North America spokesman Guy Hicks said in a statement, adding that no further details were available.
O'Keefe is the former head of NASA and worked for Stevens for many years in Congress. His son was also aboard the plane.
The plane, a DeHavilland DHC-3T, crashed about 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Aleknagik, Alaska, at 8 p.m. local time (0400 GMT), according to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, which sent a team to investigate.
Half of those aboard the plane were killed in the crash and a doctor was apparently on the scene, though rescuers were having trouble reaching the site because of bad weather, the congressional source said, declining to be further identified.
Stevens, 86, was on a fishing trip in Alaska with former members of his staff and their family, the congressional source said, adding that the plane either crashed by a lake or into the water. Stevens's wife, Catherine, was not on the plane.
O'Keefe assumed the responsibilities as EADS North America's Chief Executive Officer on Nov. 1, 2009. He previously served as a corporate officer of the General Electric Company in the Technology Infrastructure sector, leading the Washington operations of the GE Aviation business.
He was appointed Secretary of the Navy in July 1992 by President George Bush.
Stevens lost his re-election bid in 2008 after he was convicted on corruption charges, but the case was later thrown out because of prosecutorial misconduct, including the withholding of exculpatory evidence from defense lawyers.
While often gruff and short-tempered with staff, reporters, and other senators, Stevens rose to become one of the most powerful Republicans, including head of the key Senate Appropriations Committee which doled out billions of federal dollars each year to states and communities.
Stevens became known for the proposed "Bridge to Nowhere," which became a symbol of out-of-control "pork barrel" spending. The now-abandoned project would have linked the town of Ketchikan to its island airport at a cost of $398 million.
Stevens was first appointed to the Senate in 1968 to fill the seat vacated by the death of Democratic Sen. Bob Bartlett. He won the seat in a special 1970 election and was repeatedly re-elected by wide margins. (Additional reporting by James Vicini and Thomas Ferraro, editing by Frances Kerry and Howard Goller)
"Local authorities are reporting that there are survivors and a rescue operation is under way," EADS North America spokesman Guy Hicks said in a statement, adding that no further details were available.
O'Keefe is the former head of NASA and worked for Stevens for many years in Congress. His son was also aboard the plane.
The plane, a DeHavilland DHC-3T, crashed about 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Aleknagik, Alaska, at 8 p.m. local time (0400 GMT), according to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, which sent a team to investigate.
Half of those aboard the plane were killed in the crash and a doctor was apparently on the scene, though rescuers were having trouble reaching the site because of bad weather, the congressional source said, declining to be further identified.
Stevens, 86, was on a fishing trip in Alaska with former members of his staff and their family, the congressional source said, adding that the plane either crashed by a lake or into the water. Stevens's wife, Catherine, was not on the plane.
O'Keefe assumed the responsibilities as EADS North America's Chief Executive Officer on Nov. 1, 2009. He previously served as a corporate officer of the General Electric Company in the Technology Infrastructure sector, leading the Washington operations of the GE Aviation business.
He was appointed Secretary of the Navy in July 1992 by President George Bush.
Stevens lost his re-election bid in 2008 after he was convicted on corruption charges, but the case was later thrown out because of prosecutorial misconduct, including the withholding of exculpatory evidence from defense lawyers.
While often gruff and short-tempered with staff, reporters, and other senators, Stevens rose to become one of the most powerful Republicans, including head of the key Senate Appropriations Committee which doled out billions of federal dollars each year to states and communities.
Stevens became known for the proposed "Bridge to Nowhere," which became a symbol of out-of-control "pork barrel" spending. The now-abandoned project would have linked the town of Ketchikan to its island airport at a cost of $398 million.
Stevens was first appointed to the Senate in 1968 to fill the seat vacated by the death of Democratic Sen. Bob Bartlett. He won the seat in a special 1970 election and was repeatedly re-elected by wide margins. (Additional reporting by James Vicini and Thomas Ferraro, editing by Frances Kerry and Howard Goller)
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