Plane crash in Alaska found with all 10 dead

A small commuter plane en route to Nome, Alaska, was discovered crashed on sea ice, resulting in the deaths of all 10 people on board. The aircraft, operated by Bering Air, was found on Friday after a day-long search effort.

plane crash in alaska found with all 10 dead

Search and Discovery

Mike Salerno, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard, confirmed that rescuers located the wreckage of the plane while searching the last known location of the aircraft via helicopter. Two rescue swimmers were deployed to investigate the crash site.

The ill-fated aircraft was a Bering Air single-engine turboprop traveling from Unalakleet with nine passengers and a pilot, as reported by Alaska's Department of Public Safety.

Timeline of the Incident

Flight Details and Disappearance

The Cessna Caravan took off from Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m. on Thursday.
Less than an hour later, officials lost contact with the aircraft.
The plane was last tracked 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Nome and approximately 12 miles (19 kilometers) offshore.
The flight was operating at its maximum passenger capacity based on the airline's specifications.

Weather Conditions at the Time of the Crash

The region experienced light snow and fog.
The temperature was recorded at 17°F (-8.3°C), according to the National Weather Service.
The wreckage of the missing Bering Air plane was found southeast of Nome, Alaska.

The U.S. Coast Guard has confirmed that at least 3 people are dead.

Awaiting word on the status of the other 7 passengers.

Crickets all day from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. pic.twitter.com/V4s5XaxydM— Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) February 7, 2025

Possible Causes and Investigation

Radar forensic data from the U.S. Civil Air Patrol indicated that at 3:18 p.m., the aircraft experienced:

A rapid loss of altitude.
A sudden drop in speed.

However, Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble emphasized that the exact cause remains unknown. Notably:

No distress signals were received from the aircraft.
The emergency locator transmitter did not send an alert to the Coast Guard, which usually happens if exposed to seawater.

All passengers on board were adults, and the flight was part of a regularly scheduled commuter service, according to Lt. Ben Endres of the Alaska State Troopers.

Aviation Safety Concerns

This tragic incident marks the third major aviation disaster in the U.S. within eight days:

January 29 – A commercial jetliner and an Army helicopter collided near Washington, D.C., killing 67 people.
January 31 – A medical transport plane crashed in Philadelphia, claiming seven lives (six on board and one on the ground).
BREAKING: Wreckage of missing Bering Air plane found 34 miles southeast of Nome, Alaska.

U.S. Coast Guard confirms at least 3 people were found dead inside. No word on the status of the other 7 passengers. pic.twitter.com/yiGoviX6mK— BNO News (@BNONews) February 7, 2025

Challenges of Air Travel in Alaska

Most communities in Alaska are not connected by roads, making air travel the primary means of transportation, especially during winter. However, the region is highly susceptible to:

Sudden snow squalls
High winds
Treacherous travel conditions

Due to these hazardous conditions, residents were urged not to attempt independent search operations for the missing aircraft.

Extensive Search and Rescue Efforts

Bering Air operates flights across 32 villages in western Alaska from hubs in Nome, Kotzebue, and Unalakleet. Following the plane’s disappearance:

Two Bering Air aircraft conducted grid-pattern searches along the coastline, as tracked by Flightradar24.
Search efforts involved local, state, and federal agencies scouring miles of frozen tundra and ice-dotted waters.
The Alaska National Guard was deployed with a helicopter search mission.
The Coast Guard planned to drop a buoy to track sea ice movement for better search coordination.
Ground crews on snowmobiles were dispatched along the coastline and further inland.

About Unalakleet and Nome

Unalakleet is a small community with around 690 residents, located 150 miles (240 km) southeast of Nome and 395 miles (640 km) northwest of Anchorage.
The village lies along the Iditarod Trail, the famed route for the world’s most well-known sled dog race.
Nome, a historic Gold Rush town just south of the Arctic Circle, is the 1,000-mile (1,610 km) Iditarod's finishing point.
The city organized prayer vigils for the victims, their families, and the search-and-rescue teams involved in the operation.

Condolences from Officials

Prominent figures offered their condolences following the tragic crash:

Alaska’s U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan extended their thoughts and prayers to the victims, their loved ones, and the search teams.
U.S. Representative Nick Begich stated on X (formerly Twitter) that he was ready to assist the Nome community and Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy in any way possible.

The crash of the Bering Air commuter plane in western Alaska is a somber reminder of the challenges faced by rural air travel. With all 10 people aboard confirmed dead, investigations are underway to determine the cause of the crash. The tragedy has sparked a broader discussion on aviation safety, particularly in remote regions reliant on air transportation.

With inputs from agencies

Image Source: Multiple agencies