A plane similar to the one that went missing in Alaska with ten people aboard has been discovered, and all of those on board have died, according to police.
According to the US Coast Guard, the aircraft was discovered around 34 miles southeast of Nome. Three bodies have been discovered alongside the wreckage.
The remaining seven persons were thought to be inside the plane but were currently inaccessible due to its state. “Our heartfelt condolences are with those affected by this tragic incident,” the United States Coast Guard announced.
Bering Air Flight 445 was reported missing just before 4 p.m. local time on Thursday while on route from Unalakleet to Nome in western Alaska.
The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan was carrying nine adult passengers and a pilot on a “regular commuter flight” when it vanished during a harsh winter storm.
Search and rescue teams explored the area throughout the night on Thursday and continued efforts all day on Friday. According to police, all of the passengers’ relatives have been notified.
In an updated press conference on Friday afternoon, USCG Lieutenant Commander Ben McIntyre-Coble stated that “some kind of event” caused the aircraft to “rapidly lose altitude and speed,” but the exact cause was unknown.
Coble also stated that at the time, activities were still “search and rescue.” “We are operating under the assumption right now that there are still people who are in a position to be assisted by the United States Coast Guard,” he told reporters.
“We continue to have flying assets overhead and are working closely with local authorities, including Alaska State Troopers, to give potential on-the-ice assistance to any individuals who may be found.
“But at this time we are still considering that this is an active search and rescue case, and we have no immediate intentions to change the status of the case in the near term.”
The jet took off from Unalakleet, a small village of 690 people, at 2:37 p.m., but officials lost contact with it less than an hour later, according to Bering Air’s director of operations, David Olson. It went off radio about 10 minutes before its anticipated arrival in Nome.
According to the USCG, it was roughly 12 miles offshore and flying over Norton Sound.
The unfortunate tragedy marks the third fatal aviation disaster on US territory in less than two weeks.
Last Wednesday, 67 people were killed in Washington, DC, when an American Airlines plane collided with a US military Black Hawk helicopter in mid-air.
