Rescuers searched Friday for a missing Bering Air plane that disappeared while carrying 10 people over Alaska’s Norton Sound, south of the Arctic Circle.
The single-engine Cessna Caravan was en route from Unalakleet to Nome on Thursday afternoon with nine passengers and a pilot, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety. Authorities are working to determine the aircraft’s last known location.
Unalakleet, a community of about 690 people, is located roughly 150 miles southeast of Nome and 395 miles northwest of Anchorage.
The disappearance marks the third major aviation incident in the United States within eight days. A commercial jetliner and an Army helicopter collided near Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29, killing 67 people. Two days later, a medical transportation plane crashed in Philadelphia, resulting in seven fatalities.
The Cessna Caravan departed Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m. Thursday. Officials lost contact with the aircraft less than an hour later, according to David Olson, director of operations for Bering Air. The U.S. Coast Guard reported that the plane was approximately 12 miles offshore at the time of its last known position.
“Bering Air staff are working to gather details, coordinate emergency assistance, and initiate search and rescue operations,” Olson said.
Bering Air operates flights to 32 villages in western Alaska from hubs in Nome, Kotzebue, and Unalakleet. Most destinations receive twice-daily scheduled service from Monday through Saturday.
In remote areas of Alaska, especially during winter, air travel is often the only viable transportation option.
Authorities continue search efforts, and updates will be provided as new information emerges.
