A small aircraft that had gone missing in western Alaska while en route to Nome was discovered on sea ice Friday. Authorities confirmed that all 10 individuals on board had died.
US Coast Guard spokesperson Mike Salerno told the press that rescuers, searching by helicopter near the missing aircraft’s last known location, spotted the wreckage. Two rescue swimmers were deployed to examine the site.
The Bering Air single-engine turboprop was carrying nine passengers and a pilot when it departed from Unalakleet on Thursday afternoon, according to Alaska’s Department of Public Safety.
The Cessna Caravan took off at 2:37 p.m., but contact was lost within an hour and aircraft got missing, said David Olson, Bering Air’s director of operations. The National Weather Service reported light snow, fog, and a temperature of 17°F (-8.3°C) at the time.
The aircraft vanished approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Nome and was later found 12 miles (19 kilometers) offshore, the Coast Guard reported.
Radar analysis from the US Civil Air Patrol suggested that around 3:18 p.m., the plane experienced a sudden loss of altitude and speed, indicating an unidentified event. However, no distress signals were received before the crash.
Aircraft are equipped with emergency locating transmitters that activate upon contact with seawater, transmitting signals to satellites. Yet, no such signal was received, said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble.
All passengers were adults, and the flight was part of Bering Air’s regular commuter service, according to the Alaska State Troopers.
Search efforts involved local, state, and federal agencies scanning icy waters and tundra for any signs of survivors.
Alaska Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan expressed their condolences to the victims’ families and the Nome community, while US Representative Nick Begich offered support to local and state officials.
This incident marks the third major aviation accident in the US within eight days. A commercial jetliner and an Army helicopter collided near Washington, D.C., on January 29, killing 67 people, while a medical transport plane crashed in Philadelphia on January 31, claiming seven lives.
Due to Alaska’s limited road network, air travel is essential for many rural communities, especially during winter when severe weather conditions can arise unexpectedly.
Bering Air operates flights to 32 villages in western Alaska from its hubs in Nome, Kotzebue, and Unalakleet. On Friday morning, flight tracking service Flightradar24 showed two Bering Air planes conducting grid-pattern searches off the coastline.
Unalakleet, home to about 690 residents, is located roughly 150 miles (240 kilometers) southeast of Nome and 395 miles (640 kilometers) northwest of Anchorage. The village lies along the Iditarod trail, the route of the world-famous sled dog race.
Nome, a historic Gold Rush town just south of the Arctic Circle, serves as the Iditarod’s final destination. The city announced prayer vigils would be held Friday for the victims, their loved ones, and those involved in the search efforts.
