2 presumed dead in small plane crash in U.S. Alaska

SAN FRANCISCO, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Two men were presumed dead after a small plane crashed Tuesday afternoon into Crescent Lake on the Kenai Peninsula, U.S. state of Alaska, state troopers said Wednesday.

Two hikers witnessed the crash and reported it to troopers Tuesday afternoon. The rescue team took a helicopter and a float plane to the area, and located debris in the lake, with no signs of survivors in the water or on the shore, troopers said.

Efforts to recover their bodies were ongoing Wednesday.

A Piper PA-18 Super Cub plane with two men aboard had been reported overdue in the area. The plane had departed from Moose Pass and was expected to return to the same area, according to troopers' spokesman Austin McDaniel.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.