Flight with 10 onboard goes missing mid-air in Alaska; Search underway

A Bering Air flight, carrying 10 people, including the pilot and nine passengers, disappeared on Thursday afternoon while en route from Unalakleet to Nome, Alaska. The single-engine Cessna 208B Grand Caravan lost radio contact with air traffic control shortly before 4:00 p.m. local time, approximately 12 miles offshore over Norton Sound, around 30 miles from Nome. The aircraft, which had departed Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m., was expected to arrive in Nome in under an hour but failed to reach its destination.

The U.S. Coast Guard quickly launched a search mission, deploying aircraft from its Air Station Kodiak, as well as an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter. Additionally, ground crews from the Alaska State Troopers, local authorities, and volunteers began combing the shoreline, focusing on a 30-mile stretch between Nome and Topkok. Local agencies, including the White Mountain Fire Department, are coordinating the search effort, hoping to locate the missing aircraft as quickly as possible.

Weather conditions in the region are proving challenging for search teams. The area is experiencing snow, freezing temperatures, fog, and winds reaching 35 mph, with low visibility hampering aerial and ground search operations. The Coast Guard has stated that the poor weather is delaying both air and sea-based searches. While crews continue to survey the area from the air and on the ground, the search radius has been expanded to account for the strong winds and unpredictable weather.

Bering Air, a regional carrier operating primarily in Alaska, has been serving western Alaskan communities for over four decades. The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, the aircraft involved in the incident, is a widely used small regional aircraft known for its short-flight capabilities and ability to operate from unprepared airstrips. The plane, which typically seats up to 12 people, is often utilized for remote travel in the region. It has a range of approximately three hours without refueling, which would cover the distance from Unalakleet to Nome, which is typically less than an hour by air.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been informed of the incident but has not yet initiated an official investigation, as the wreckage has not been located. Authorities have not yet released the names of those onboard, and the exact cause of the disappearance remains unclear. Search efforts will continue as long as weather conditions allow, and authorities are keeping local medical facilities on standby in case of potential casualties.