The Bering Air commuter plane carrying 10 people, which went missing over Alaska while en route to Nome, was found crashed on sea ice off the western coast of Alaska, authorities confirmed Friday.
All nine passengers and the pilot were killed, as per the news agency AP.
The US coast guard discovered the Cessna Caravan on Friday during an aerial search near its last known location, about 12 miles offshore and 30 miles southeast of Nome.Two rescue swimmers were deployed to examine the wreckage, as per AP.
Radar data from the US Civil Air Patrol indicated the aircraft experienced a rapid loss of altitude and speed around 3:18 pm (local time) Thursday, though officials have not determined the cause.
Lt Cmdr Benjamin McIntyre-Coble of the US Coast Guard stated that while the radar data suggests a sudden descent, the exact reason remains unknown. “What that event is, I can’t speculate to,” he told reporters.
Notably, no distress signals were received from the aircraft before the crash, as per AP.
The Cessna Caravan, a single-engine turboprop, was at full passenger capacity, according to Bering Air’s fleet specifications. The flight, which departed Unalakleet at 2:37 pm, was a regularly scheduled commuter service.
At the time of the incident, the National Weather Service reported light snow and fog, with temperatures around 17°F (-8.3°C). Western Alaska frequently experiences sudden snow squalls and high winds, particularly in winter, which can pose serious challenges for small aircraft.
Search efforts were conducted by local, state, and federal agencies, with aircraft from Bering Air assisting in a grid-pattern search over the coastline. The Coast Guard’s MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter first spotted the wreckage on sea ice and deployed rescue swimmers to investigate.
Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the plane’s emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was activated. The device, designed to send distress signals upon impact or water exposure, did not transmit any alerts to the Coast Guard.
Nome, a historic Gold Rush town and the final stop of the Iditarod sledge dog race is now reeling from the tragedy. Prayer vigils were announced in honour of the victims, their families, and first responders involved in the search.
Alaska’s US Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, along with US Representative Nick Begich, expressed condolences. Begich posted on social media that he was ready to assist Governor Mike Dunleavy in supporting Nome and the affected families.
With many remote communities lacking road access, air travel is essential for transportation across Alaska. However, harsh winter conditions and rugged terrain increase aviation risks.
Bering Air, which serves 32 villages from hubs in Nome, Kotzebue, and Unalakleet, typically runs twice-daily flights to most destinations.
The Alaska crash marks the third major US aviation mishap in eight days. On January 29, A commercial jetliner and an Army helicopter collided near Washington, DC, killing 67 people. Another crash happened on January 31, when a medical transport plane crashed in Philadelphia, killing six passengers and one person on the ground.