Air Force colonel missing after plane crash in Alaskan lake

A US Air Force colonel and another man were found dead after their small plane crashed into Crescent Lake in Alaska. The victims were identified as Colonel Mark "Tyson" Sletten and Paul Kondrat. Sletten was an operations boss for the Alaskan Command, and his loss has deeply impacted the community. The crash occurred near Moose Pass on the Kenai Peninsula, approximately 105 miles south of Anchorage. Witnesses reported seeing the accident, prompting a search effort by various teams including Alaska Dive, Search, Rescue, and Recovery Team. The plane was located 193 feet below the lake's surface, and the bodies of the two men were recovered. Col. Sletten and Kondrat were on an instructional flight when the tragedy occurred. The Alaskan Command, based in Anchorage, is involved in homeland defense missions and security operations. The search and recovery operation involved sonar technology, remotely operated vehicles, and trained divers due to the lake's depth. The crash was initially reported by hikers, leading to a search by Alaska Department of Public Safety and U.S. Fish and Wildlife teams. Moose Pass, where the crash took place, is located about 100 miles south of Anchorage.