A small commuter plane that disappeared while flying to Nome, Alaska, was discovered Friday on sea ice, with authorities confirming that all 10 people on board perished. The U.S. Coast Guard reported that rescuers located the wreckage using a helicopter, and two rescue swimmers were deployed to investigate.
The Bering Air single-engine turboprop plane, carrying nine passengers and a pilot, departed Unalakleet on Thursday afternoon, as stated by the Alaska Department of Public Safety. The Cessna Caravan took off at 2:37 p.m., but lost contact less than an hour later, according to David Olson, Bering Air’s director of operations.
Sudden Altitude Drop Before Crash
The U.S. Civil Air Patrol’s radar data indicated that around 3:18 p.m. Thursday, the plane underwent a sudden drop in altitude and speed. Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble of the Coast Guard stated that while the cause remains unknown, no distress signals were received, even though the aircraft was equipped with an emergency locating transmitter that activates upon exposure to seawater.
The plane crashed 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Nome and was later found 12 miles (19 km) offshore. Light snow and fog were reported at the time, with temperatures recorded at 17°F (-8.3°C).
Third Major U.S. Aviation Incident in a Week
This tragedy marks the third major aviation accident in the U.S. within eight days. On January 29, a commercial jetliner and an Army helicopter collided near Washington, D.C., killing 67 people. Two days later, a medical transport plane crashed in Philadelphia, resulting in six fatalities.
Search and Recovery Efforts
Authorities advised local residents not to conduct independent search efforts due to hazardous conditions. Bering Air deployed two planes for grid searches along the coastline, while local, state, and federal agencies collaborated in a massive search operation over frozen tundra and icy waters.
The Alaska National Guard, Coast Guard, and other agencies utilized helicopters, snowmobiles, and aerial tracking to locate the wreckage. A buoy was also planned to be deployed to monitor sea ice movement.
Community Mourns the Loss
The crash deeply affected Unalakleet, a small village of 690 residents located 150 miles (240 km) southeast of Nome. The village is part of the Iditarod Trail, the famous sled dog race route. In Nome, the Iditarod’s finishing point, residents organized prayer vigils to honor the victims, their families, and the search teams.
