Wreckage Located on Sea Ice Near Nome
Alaska: A small commuter plane that vanished in western Alaska while en route to Nome was found crashed on sea ice on Friday, with all 10 onboard confirmed dead, authorities said.
The Bering Air single-engine turboprop Cessna Caravan was carrying nine passengers and a pilot when it took off from Unalakleet on Thursday afternoon. Contact was lost less than an hour later, about 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Nome, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety.
Search and Rescue Efforts
A US Coast Guard helicopter searching the last known location of the aircraft spotted the wreckage offshore, about 12 miles (19 km) from land. Two rescue swimmers were lowered to investigate and confirmed there were no survivors, Coast Guard spokesperson Mike Salerno told the Associated Press.
Weather Conditions and Flight Details
The plane left Unalakleet at 2:37 PM and disappeared shortly afterward. The National Weather Service reported light snow and fog in the area, with temperatures at 17°F (-8.3°C) at the time.
Bering Air officials confirmed the aircraft was at full passenger capacity during the flight. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
