【英语国际】前美参议员斯蒂文斯乘坐的飞机在阿拉斯加坠毁

Former Alaska Republican Sen. Ted Stevens was one of eight passengers aboard a small commercial aircraft that crashed near Dillingham, Alaska, on Monday, according to a U.S. official.

Also on the plane was Sean O'Keefe, a former administrator of NASA and now chief executive of the North American division of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. (EADSY, EAD.FR), EADS said Tuesday. The company said it had no further information on his status.

Five of the people on the single-engine Otter turboprop were confirmed dead and one had a serious injury, according to a person familiar with the Federal Aviation Administration's preliminary information.

The Alaska Air National Guard said the crash was reported at approximately 7:00 p.m. Monday local time after a passing aircraft spotted the plane's wreckage.

The Anchorage Daily News, which first reported the crash, said Stevens' flight was headed to the Agulowak Lodge near Lake Aleknagik, a popular fishing destination.

Stevens is the longest serving Republican senator in U.S. history. He is also one of the best known and most influential figures in his state. Many local institutions, including the Anchorage airport, are named for him.

In the U.S. Senate, Stevens used his perch as an appropriator to direct federal dollars to his home state. His penchant for earmarks eventually led to political trouble as the process became increasingly unpopular with the public.

His final years in politics were clouded by a federal investigation that led to an initial conviction on corruption charges and an election defeat in 2008 to Democrat Mark Begich. In April 2009, the Justice Department dropped all charges, citing prosecutorial misconduct. Stevens, 86 years old, has since largely been absent from public life.

Associated Press前阿拉斯加州共和党参议员斯蒂文斯2008年11月在国会一名美国官员说，前阿拉斯加州共和党参议员斯蒂文斯(Ted Stevens)是周一在阿拉斯加州Dillingham附近坠毁的一架小型商务飞机上的八名乘客之一。

欧洲航空防务航天公司(European Aeronautic, Defense & Space Co., 简称EADS)周二说，美国国家航空及太空总署(NASA)前署长、现任EADS首席执行长的奥基夫(Sean O'Keefe)也在那架飞机上。EADS称尚无有关奥基夫状况的进一步信息。

了解美国联邦航空管理局(Federal Aviation Administration)初步信息的人士说，这架单引擎Otter涡轮螺旋桨飞机上的五人已经确认死亡，一人重伤。

阿拉斯加空军国民警卫队(Alaska Air National Guard)说，坠机是在当地时间周一晚7时左右报告的，一架过路的飞机发现了坠机残骸。

率先报导坠机事件的《安克拉治每日新闻》(Anchorage Daily News)说，斯蒂文斯的飞机本来要飞往钓鱼胜地Aleknagik湖附近的Agulowak Lodge。

斯蒂文斯是美国历史上在任时间最长的共和党参议员。他也是阿拉斯加州最知名、最具影响力的人物之一。包括安克拉治机场在内的许多地方机构都以他的名字命名。

在美国参议院，斯蒂文斯利用自己的地位为自己所在的州争取直接的联邦款项。他总是插手指定款项用途，导致了政治麻烦，因公众越来越不喜欢这样的做法。

他从政的最后阶段因受到联邦调查而失色，调查导致他因腐败指控而被初步定罪，并在2008年的选举中输给民主党的贝吉奇(Mark Begich)。2009年4月，美国司法部(Justice Department)以检方行为不当为由取消了所有指控。86岁的斯蒂文斯从此基本淡出了公众视野。