A routine flight over Alaska’s remote wilderness took a chilling turn when a small passenger plane vanished from radar. With 10 people on board, the aircraft never reached its destination. Days later, search crews made a somber discovery.
A small passenger plane that vanished over Alaska’s Bering Sea has been located after an extensive search. The aircraft, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan operated by Bering Air, was carrying 10 people, including the pilot, when it disappeared Thursday afternoon near Nome.
Authorities launched an urgent search, scouring the coastline for any sign of the missing plane. On Friday, multiple agencies provided an update, revealing that a search aircraft had identified an “item of interest” linked to the missing flight.
The Cessna had departed Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m., bound for Nome, according to Bering Air’s Director of Operations, David Olson. Data from FlightRadar showed its last recorded position at 3:16 p.m. over Norton Sound before it vanished from radar.
Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft | Source: Getty Images
Rescue crews, including the Nome Volunteer Fire Department and local search teams, concentrated their efforts along a 30-mile stretch between Nome and Topkok. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) provided a somber update on the search efforts, confirming the plane’s discovery roughly 34 miles southeast of Nome.
In a statement on social media, the agency announced the end of its search, revealing that three individuals had been found inside the wreckage. All were confirmed deceased.
“The remaining seven people are believed to be inside the aircraft but are currently inaccessible due to the condition of the plane,” the USCG added. In a follow-up message. They expressed condolences to the victims’ families and those impacted by the tragedy.
Rescue teams are now working to assess the wreckage and determine the next steps in recovering the remaining passengers. Before the wreckage was located, search teams faced difficult conditions while scouring Alaska’s rugged terrain for the missing plane.
A Cessna 208B aircraft | Source: Getty Images
White Mountain Fire Chief Jack Adams confirmed that the aircraft disappeared from radar and that crews were deployed to search a 30-mile stretch, determined to continue until they found answers.
“They’re prepared to be out all night,” Adams told Alaska’s News Source. “They will search here until they find them or somebody else finds them. “If they don’t find anything, we’ll probably rally another crew to go and help.”
Cessna 208B aircraft | Source: Getty Images
Navigating the terrain proved difficult. With sea ice in a chaotic, jumbled state, ground crews had to rely on the Iditarod Trail to move safely through the area. Adams hoped the plane had landed on solid ground. “Being in the water would be the worst-case scenario,” he said.
Alaska State Troopers confirmed that they were notified of the missing plane around 4 p.m. by the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center. At the time, ground teams from Nome and White Mountain were actively searching, but poor weather and limited visibility hindered aerial efforts.
Cessna 208 passenger plane | Source: Getty Images
An FAA weather camera in Nome showed near-whiteout conditions during the critical afternoon hours, further complicating search efforts.
Speaking of the missing plane, Lt. Cmdr. Ben McIntyre-Coble of the U.S. Coast Guard revealed that radar data captured a sudden loss in both altitude and speed at 3:18 p.m., signaling a possible midair emergency.
Cessna 208 passenger plane | Source: Getty Images
The Coast Guard responded to the emergency alert at 4:30 p.m. and quickly deployed an HC-130 Hercules aircraft from Air Station Kodiak to track the plane’s last known position. The aircraft had been flying 12 miles offshore when it suddenly vanished.
As authorities continued to investigate the crash, news of the tragedy sent shockwaves through the community. Expressions of sympathy poured in, including from Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, who addressed the heartbreaking loss on social media.
“Rose and I are heartbroken by the loss of the 10 people on the Bering Air flight,” Dunleavy wrote on X. “Our prayers are with the families, friends, and communities mourning this tragedy”
He also acknowledged the efforts of those involved in the search. “We are grateful to the search teams who worked tirelessly to locate the aircraft. I ask all Alaskans to keep those affected in their thoughts and prayers.”
As families and loved ones grapple with the devastating news, officials have pledged to continue gathering details about the crash and its cause.
