Alaska Plane Crash

Former Stevens Aide: Report Of Stevens' Death 'Unconfirmed'

Evan McMorris-Santoro | August 10, 2010, 1:49PM

Fmr. Alaska Senator Ted Stevens (R)

The former aide to Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) who reportedly told KTUU-TV in Alaska that Stevens had died in a plane crash last night is retracting that report.

Dave Dittman, the former aide, provided this statement to TPMDC through a spokesperson after we asked him to confirm the story he told to KTUU:

Dave received a call last night and was told that Senator Stevens had perished in a plane crash. That has not been confirmed. That is just what he was told. In the meantime he has talked with close friends of the family and it has not been confirmed to them either. And as recent as 8:50 AK time this morning it still had not been confirmed.

Alaska Plane Crash

Report: Stevens Family Friend Says Senator Dead In Plane Crash

Evan McMorris-Santoro | August 10, 2010, 12:32PM

Fmr. Alaska Senator Ted Stevens (R)

Former Sen. Ted Stevens was killed in a plane crash in Alaska last night, Anchorage, Alaska NBC station KTUU reports.

Dave Dittman, a former aide and longtime family friend of former Sen. Ted Stevens says Stevens was killed in a plane crash near Dillingham Monday night.

There is no further confirmation or explanation in that report.

More on the plane crash here.

Late Update: Through a spokesperson, Dittman later told TPMDC that his original report of Stevens' death was unconfirmed.