Rescue teams in Alaska were desperately searching over land and ocean Friday after a small passenger plane with 10 people on board went missing as it traveled along the state’s western coast, authorities said.
The turboprop Cessna Caravan operated by Bering Air was reported missing Thursday around 4 p.m. local time, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety. Carrying nine passengers and a pilot, the plane was flying from Unalakleet, Alaska, to Nome when its position was lost 12 miles offshore, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Families of everyone on board have been notified as of 9 a.m. local time Friday, the Nome Volunteer Fire Department said.
Before the plane was reported missing, the Nome Volunteer Fire Department said the pilot had told Anchorage Air Traffic Control that “he intended to enter a holding pattern while waiting for the runway to be cleared.”
The fire department said crews were conducting ground searches along the state’s western coast, from Nome to Topkok, adding that air searches were hampered by poor weather and low visibility. The National Guard was assisting in the efforts and a U.S. Coast Guard flight crew began searching the plane’s last known location.
The incident comes as U.S. air travel and aviation faces increased scrutiny following the collision of a passenger plane and a military helicopter outside Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people and the fatal crash of a Medevac jet in Philadelphia that killed seven people and injured more than 20 others.
Where are crews searching for missing plane in Alaska?
Friday morning, the Coast Guard in Alaska said its search crews had still not spotted any sign of the missing plane.
A USCG Air Station Kodiak HC-130 Hercules crew searched the area between Nome, where the plane was heading, and White Mountain, a stretch of about 60 miles.
A MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew was also heading to join the search from Cold Bay, the Coast Guard said.
What to know about missing Alaska plane, search area
The aircraft was operating between parts of the state that aren’t accessible by land vehicles and roads. Here’s what to know about the area and the plane:
The plane’s location: According to live flight-tracking website FlightRadar24, the plane’s last known position was over the water, 38 minutes after leaving Unalakleet, which is typically less than an hour’s flight from Nome.
Bering Air: Bering Air is a family-owned airline headquartered in Nome. Its website says it’s been operating since 1979 and offers scheduled regional service, charter flights and cargo transport. That includes scheduled service to both Nome and Unalakleet, which are about 150 miles apart in western Alaska, by the Bering Sea. It operates planes and helicopters.
Nome, Alaska: Nome is famous for being a gold rush town and the end of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. The city of roughly 3,700 people is only accessible by dog sled, snowmobile, water and plane, according to the Nome Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Unalakleet, Alaska: Travel Alaska’s website describes Unalakleet as the southernmost Iñupiaq village in Alaska. It has a population of around 800 people. The village is only accessible by plane, according to the Bureau of Land Management.
Plane model: The missing plane was a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX with tail number N321BA, according to FlightRadar24. Cessna’s website says, “The Grand Caravan® EX turboprop was engineered for challenging missions, high payloads and short, rough runways while delivering single-engine economy and simplicity.”
-Eve Chen
Hours into the search, authorities have ‘found nothing’
The Nome Volunteer Fire Department said in a Facebook post early Friday morning that crews were still searching on the ground and canvassing as much area as possible.
“The National Guard C-130 reported they found nothing found so far,” read the statement, posted just after midnight, local time. The department added that the Air Force so far has “reported no visuals” and had “one hour of flight search time remaining.”
The department said, “If nothing further is reported, the next update will be at 9 a.m.”
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‘We ask the public to please think of those who may be missing’
The Nome Volunteer Fire Department has asked the public not to form individual search parties, citing poor weather conditions and safety concerns.
“We ask the public to please think of those who may be missing at this time,” the fire department said. “Families are encouraged to seek support at Norton Sound Health Corp.”
Alaska U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan said in a statement that he was monitoring the search for the missing plane and was praying for those affected.
“We are hearing reports of a possible missing plane en route to Nome. Our thoughts and prayers are with the passengers, their families and the rescue crew.”
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said in a post on X, “Our prayers are with all those on the plane missing out of western Alaska, the Bering Air family, and the entire community of Nome.”
Disproportionate number of plane accidents occur in Alaska
According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, a disproportionate number of air taxi and commuter plane accidents occur in Alaska compared to other U.S. states.
Alaska is known for its mountainous terrain and challenging weather. Many Alaskan villages are not connected by roads, meaning small planes are generally used to transport people and goods.
Bering Air is an Alaska-based regional airline that operates around 39 planes and helicopters, according to data from flight tracking website FlightRadar24. Earlier Thursday night, the fire department said the Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage was also sending flight support.
Latest aviation incident in the US
Thursday’s incident is the latest aviation incident to occur in the U.S. in recent weeks, including two fatal crashes in late January. Several other incidents have recently occurred at major airports in Chicago, Seattle, and Houston, USA TODAY previously reported.
On Saturday, an airport worker was critically injured after a passenger plane hit a tug at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The following day, a United Airlines flight from Houston to New York City was evacuated after an engine issue was reported.
On Wednesday morning, a parked Delta Air Lines plane was struck by a taxiing Japan Airlines plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. No injuries were reported in the incident.
On Jan. 29, an American Airlines passenger plane and an Army helicopter collided near Washington, D.C., killing 67 people in the deadliest air disaster in more than two decades. Just days later, a Medevac jet crashed into a busy neighborhood in Philadelphia, killing seven people and injuring over 20 others.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
Contributing: Reuters
