3 feared dead as State Alaska Troopers copter crashes

 

Associated Press/Alaska State Troopers – This 2008 image provided by the Alaska State Troopers shows their helicopter which crashed Saturday night March 30, 2013 while attempting to rescue a snowmobiler near Larson Lake 7 miles east of Talkeetna, Alaska. All three aboard are feared dead. (AP Photo/Alaska State Troopers)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska State Trooper helicopter carrying a trooper, a pilot for the agency and a rescued snowmobiler crashed in the south-central part of the state, leaving all three aboard feared dead, a spokeswoman said Sunday night.

Trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said the aircraft went down Saturday night, the wreckage spotted Sunday, and no survivors have been found.

Peters said that though the three are feared dead, there still has been no confirmation of any fatalities.

“This is a huge, profound tragedy for us. We can replace the helicopter but we can’t replace what went down with it,” she said. “It’s been a bad day.”

Wreckage of the helicopter burned, but Peters said it was not known how the fire started or how long it lasted.

House Speaker admonishes fellow Republican for immigrant slur

(Reuters) – House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner on Friday condemned a reference to migrant workers made by fellow Republican Representative Don Young, calling the comments “offensive and beneath the dignity of the office.”

House Speaker John Boehner holds a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington March 21, 2013.

Young referred to migrant workers as “wetbacks” in a radio interview aired in his home state of Alaska on Thursday, but issued an apology late in the day after criticism. The term is considered a slur against illegal immigrants who crossed into the United States from Mexico.

“My father had a ranch. We used to hire 50-60 wetbacks … to pick tomatoes … it takes two people to pick the same tomatoes now. It is all done by machine,” Young said in the interview.

The lawmaker was speaking about the economy and technology. He later said he did not realize the term was considered offensive.

“I used a term that was commonly used during my days growing up on a farm in Central California,” Young said in a statement. “I know that this term is not used in the same way nowadays and I meant no disrespect.”

Boehner issued a statement on Friday saying there was “no excuse,” for the comments.

“Congressman Young’s remarks were offensive and beneath the dignity of the office he holds. I don’t care why he said it – there’s no excuse,” Boehner said in a statement issued on Friday.

Collected from-http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/29/us-usa-congress-young-idUSBRE92S0C120130329