The US Coast Guard in Alaska said Friday it had found the wreckage of a Bering Air Cessna 208 Grand Caravan plane that went missing after takeoff with 10 people on board Thursday.
The plane, carrying nine passengers and one pilot, crashed approximately 34 miles southeast of Nome after experiencing a rapid loss of altitude and speed on Thursday afternoon. Rescue swimmers have identified three bodies, while seven are believed to be trapped in the inaccessible wreckage.
The aircraft, Flight 445, departed from Unalakleet at 2:40 pm local time and disappeared about 12 miles offshore, roughly 10 minutes before its scheduled arrival in Nome. The pilot had informed air traffic control of plans to enter a holding pattern while awaiting runway clearance.
Over 80% of communities are inaccessible by road and rely on regional carriers like Bering Air for critical supplies and transportation, making air travel in the challenging Alaskan terrain and weather conditions essential yet hazardous.
The aircraft's emergency locator transmitter failed to send any distress signals, raising questions about the sudden nature of the incident and the functionality of critical safety systems during the flight's final moments.