Commercial Passenger Plane With 10 People on Board Goes Missing in Alaska
A commercial passenger plane has vanished in harsh, wintery conditions over the Bering Sea, marking the third significant aviation incident in the U.S. within the last ten days leaving the authorities in Alaska in distress as they are actively searching
The missing single-engine aircraft, operated by regional carrier Bering Air, had nine passengers and one pilot on board when it lost communication with authorities at approximately 3:20 p.m. local time on Thursday, as reported by the Alaska Department of Public Safety. Search efforts are being led by the Coast Guard, along with the U.S. Air Force and National Guard, focusing on an area about 12 miles offshore where the aircraft’s position was last recorded. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is also involved, attempting to locate the passengers through cell phone tracking, according to local fire department officials.
This incident follows a tragedy last week that resulted in the deaths of 67 individuals during a mid-air collision involving an American Airlines passenger plane and a Black Hawk military helicopter in Washington, D.C. Just two days later, a medical transport jet exploded upon crashing in northeast Philadelphia, claiming the lives of seven people. These recent disasters have heightened anxiety among some travelers.
The Bering Air flight was en route from Unalakleet to Nome, crossing the Norton Sound, a part of the Bering Sea on Alaska’s western coast. Typically, the journey lasts under an hour. The plane took off from Unalakleet, a small fishing community with around 800 residents, at 2:38 p.m. local time, per flight data. After heading across the Norton Sound, the pilot informed air traffic controllers in Anchorage of his intent to enter a holding pattern while awaiting clearance for landing at Nome.
At the time of the incident, temperatures in the Nome area hovered around 9 degrees Fahrenheit, accompanied by light snowfall, strong winds, and poor visibility, according to the National Weather Service. Shortly after notifying air traffic control, flight data shows the plane began to lose altitude before its signal was lost just offshore.
The Nome Police Department called upon local boat owners to assist with the search and later indicated that enough volunteers had come forward. However, the local fire department cautioned against independent search parties due to adverse weather conditions and low visibility in the area.
Bering Air operates a fleet of 39 aircraft, comprising primarily small passenger and cargo planes as well as helicopters. The Nome-based airline provides regular passenger and cargo services every day to 32 communities along Alaska’s northwest coast, according to the company’s official website. At this time, Bering Air has not issued any comments regarding the incident.
The National Transportation Safety Board is monitoring the situation, while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a search-and-rescue advisory concerning the missing Cessna plane as of Thursday afternoon local time.
Alaska’s sparse population relies heavily on air travel, with an estimated 82% of its communities accessible only by air, as noted by the FAA. Many of the planes in Alaska are smaller, often single-engine types that lack advanced weather and de-icing capabilities, according to a 2021 FAA report on aviation safety in the region. The state’s limited aviation infrastructure, combined with difficult terrain and extreme weather conditions, contributes to the heightened risks associated with flying in Alaska compared to other U.S. regions.
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