Plane crashes into river in Alaska

San Francisco, April 24 -- A Douglas DC-4 airplane has crashed into a river in Fairbanks in U.S. state of Alaska on Tuesday, authorities said.

First responders were conducting an "active rescue" Tuesday morning after the plane crashed in the area of the Tanana River in Fairbanks, according to local officials.

Clint Johnson, Alaska chief of the National Transportation Safety Board, said it was not clear how many people were on the Douglas DC-4 when it crashed around 10:30 a.m. shortly after departure south of Fairbanks International Airport.

"We acknowledge the ongoing situation involving the Douglas DC-4 aircraft on the Tanana River near Kallenberg Road," the airport said in a statement. "Alaska State Troopers are actively leading th...