Authorities are conducting a search for a Bering Air plane that disappeared Thursday afternoon while en route to Nome, Alaska, with 10 people on board.
The aircraft, a Cessna Caravan carrying nine passengers and a pilot, was reported missing around 4 p.m. local time, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety. Efforts are ongoing to determine the plane’s last known coordinates.
The flight originated from Unalakleet, a coastal city in western Alaska, and was headed to Nome. Prior to losing contact, the pilot informed Anchorage Air Traffic Control that he would enter a holding pattern while waiting for the runway to clear. The aircraft was last reported about 12 miles offshore.
Search efforts include the Nome Volunteer Fire Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the National Guard, while the Norton Sound Health Corporation is on standby for emergency medical response. However, poor weather conditions initially hindered the aerial search. By 8 p.m., a Coast Guard HC-130 aircraft arrived in Nome to conduct a grid search over the water and shoreline using specialized rescue equipment.
Bering Air, an Alaska-based regional airline, operates dozens of aircraft for passenger and cargo transport across remote areas. Aviation accidents are more common in Alaska compared to other U.S. states due to the region’s rugged terrain and unpredictable weather.
This latest incident follows a series of recent aviation accidents in the U.S., including two fatal crashes in late January and multiple aircraft incidents at major airports.
