An aircraft matching the description of the missing regional airline flight in Alaska has been discovered, as reported by the US Coast Guard on Friday. Unfortunately, all 10 individuals aboard the plane have been confirmed dead. The aircraft was located 34 miles southeast of Nome, Alaska.
The Cessna aircraft, operated by Bering Air, was carrying nine passengers and one pilot. It went missing Thursday afternoon while en route from Unalakleet to Nome. The cities are separated by the Norton Sound inlet, and the plane was last detected approximately 12 miles offshore when contact was lost.
The search for the missing plane intensified on its second day with additional aircraft joining the effort. However, the search was made challenging due to the lack of communication from a missing emergency transmitter, as noted by officials.
"Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic incident," expressed the USCG on X (formerly Twitter).
Authorities have been conducting thorough searches for the downed aircraft over the snowy terrain in Nome and the surrounding sea ice. Poor weather conditions complicated airborne searches on Thursday. Initial search flights by C-130 crews from the US Coast Guard and the US Air Force yielded no results at the time.
The aircraft experienced a rapid altitude and speed loss around 3:18 p.m. local time Thursday, according to local reports. At a Friday news conference, Coast Guard Lt. Commander Benjamin McIntyre-Coble mentioned "an item of interest" spotted during search operations.
Improved weather conditions on Friday aided the searches. Clear skies and low wind at Nome Airport facilitated the addition of helicopter teams from the National Guard and Coast Guard to assist. A Coast Guard C-130 also landed in Nome to support the effort.
All families of the passengers have been notified, though identities have not been disclosed. The passengers were all adults, according to Alaska State Troopers Lt. Ben Endres.
The search intensified as the nation’s air safety comes under scrutiny following two deadly incidents earlier in the week. Additionally, the plane did not communicate through an emergency locator transmitter, which could broadcast distress signals to help locate downed aircraft.
Assisting in the search, the FBI has deployed technical resources, utilizing cell phone geolocation technology to track the last-known positions of passengers’ devices.
The missing plane, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, was last tracked over the Norton Sound at approximately 3:16 p.m. It was noted that challenging weather conditions may have impacted the aircraft’s performance.
Bering Air, based in Nome, serves over 30 local communities. The company is actively gathering information and contributing to the search efforts.
Community facilities, including the Norton Sound Regional Hospital, have prepared to respond to any emergency needs. A center for families of the victims has also been established.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy expressed deep sympathy for those affected by the tragedy and confirmed that efforts are being closely monitored to provide any necessary support.
