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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
James Liddell,Kelly Rissman,Mike Bedigan,Josh Marcus and Gustaf Kilander

Alaska plane crash updates: Bodies of all 10 victims now recovered as crews raced against incoming storm

Bering Air Air Force Alaska

All 10 victims of the Alaska regional airline crash have been recovered, officials revealed on Saturday.

The Nome Volunteer Fire Department said in a Facebook post that “All ten individuals aboard the Bering Air plane have been officially brought home to Nome. Nome SAR efforts stand by for our Bering Air crew to complete their aircraft recovery operations.”

“We thank the Airforce for their main role in the recovery efforts for the sake of our community team,” they added.

The small plane carrying a pilot and nine passengers departed from Unalakleet on Thursday before it disappeared. The plane was located Friday about 34 miles southeast of Nome, where it was set to land, the U.S. Coast Guard said. The 10 people onboard were declared dead.

The wreckage of the plane is laying on sea ice that officials have stated is young and unstable, with heavy winds and snow expected in the area this weekend, CNN reported. Officials said the bodies were recovered first before the plane will be removed for analysis.

On Friday night, the chief of the Nome Volunteer Fire Department, Jim West, said: “We don’t know how long that’s going to take. It could go hours; it could go potentially days. Coming up to tomorrow, we have 18 hours of potential recovery time.”

Key points

  • 'A rapid loss in elevation and a rapid loss in speed'
  • Mayor chokes up announcing deaths from Alaskan plane crash
  • 'It’s hard to accept the reality of our loss,' senator says
  • Alaska National Guard taking part in recovery efforts
  • Crews rush to recover commuter plane found crashed on Alaska sea ice before expected snow and wind

Crews rush to recover plane crash on Alaska sea ice before snow hits

14:00 , Becky Bohrer, Hallie Golden

Just hours after finding 10 people dead in western Alaska from one of the deadliest plane crashes in the state in 25 years, authorities raced to recover their remains and the wreckage of the small commuter plane from unstable sea ice before expected high winds and snow.

“The conditions out there are dynamic, so we’ve got to do it safely in the fastest way we can,” Jim West, chief of the Nome Volunteer Fire Department, said Friday.

The Bering Air single-engine turboprop plane was traveling from Unalakleet to the hub community of Nome when it disappeared Thursday afternoon. It was found the next day after an extensive search with all nine passengers and the pilot dead.

Read more:

Crews rush to recover plane crash on Alaska sea ice before snow hits

Here's what we know about a commuter plane crash in Alaska that killed 10 people

12:00 , AP

Authorities are working to recover the wreckage of a plane crash in western Alaska that killed 10 people while investigators are trying to determine what caused the small commuter aircraft to go down in the icy Bering Sea.

The single-engine turboprop plane was traveling from Unalakleet to the hub community of Nome when it disappeared Thursday afternoon. The Bering Air plane was found the next day after an extensive search. Nine passengers and the pilot were killed.

Crews on Saturday were racing to recover the wreckage and the remains of those killed in the crash before expected high winds and snow.

Here are things to know about the plane crash, which is one of the deadliest plane crashes in the state in 25 years.

Read more:

Here's what we know about a commuter plane crash in Alaska that killed 10 people

'Our hearts are heavy with grief as we process this heartbreaking news,' airline says

10:00 , AP

Bering Air serves 32 villages in western Alaska from hubs in Nome, Kotzebue and Unalakleet. Most destinations receive twice-daily scheduled flights Monday through Saturday.

“Our hearts are heavy with grief as we process this heartbreaking news,” Bering Air wrote in a statement on its website. “At this time, our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected by this tragedy. We recognize the profound loss this has caused, and we want to extend our sincerest condolences to everyone impacted.”

A phone line was set up to give updates and emotional support to people who had loved ones on board, Bering Air said. The company asked for privacy for everyone involved, and said it was committed to supporting authorities.

“Please know that we are doing everything we can to ensure that accurate information is shared promptly, and we will continue to update the public as needed,” the company said.

Unalakleet is a community of about 690 people about 150 miles (about 240 kilometers) southeast of Nome and 395 miles (about 640 kilometers) northwest of Anchorage. The village is on the Iditarod trail, route of the world’s most famous sled dog race, during which mushers and their teams must cross the frozen Norton Sound.

Nome, a Gold Rush town, is just south of the Arctic Circle and is known as the ending point of the 1,000-mile (1,610-kilometer) Iditarod. The city said prayer vigils would be held Friday for those on board the plane, friends and family and those involved in search efforts.

WATCH: US plane with 10 onboard disappears near Alaska

08:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Wreckage of missing Alaska flight found and bodies of all 10 victims recovered

07:00 , Mike Bedigan

All 10 victims of the Alaska regional airline crash have been recovered, officials revealed on Saturday.

The Nome Volunteer Fire Department said in a Facebook post that “All ten individuals aboard the Bering Air plane have been officially brought home to Nome. Nome SAR efforts stand by for our Bering Air crew to complete their aircraft recovery operations.”

“We thank the Airforce for their main role in the recovery efforts for the sake of our community team,” they added.

All those aboard died in the crash, authorities previously confirmed.

Read more:

Wreckage of missing Alaska flight found with no survivors

Third major U.S. aviation mishap in eight days

06:00 , AP

The National Transportation Safety Board was sending nine people to the scene from various states.

Flying is an essential mode of transportation in Alaska due to the vastness of the landscape and limited infrastructure. Most communities are not connected to the developed road system that serves the state’s most populous region, and it’s common to travel by small plane.

Some high school teams fly to sporting events against rival high schools, and goods are brought to many communities by barge or by air.

The plane’s crash marks the third major U.S. aviation mishap in eight days. A commercial jetliner and an Army helicopter collided near the nation’s capital on Jan. 29, killing 67 people. A medical transportation plane crashed in Philadelphia on Jan. 31, killing the six people on board and another person on the ground.

'A rapid loss in elevation and a rapid loss in speed'

05:00 , AP

Radar forensic data provided by the U.S. Civil Air Patrol indicated that about 3:18 p.m., the plane had “some kind of event which caused them to experience a rapid loss in elevation and a rapid loss in speed,” Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble said. “What that event is, I can’t speculate to.”

McIntyre-Coble said he was unaware of any distress signals from the aircraft. Planes carry an emergency locating transmitter. If exposed to seawater, the device sends a signal to a satellite, which then relays that message back to the Coast Guard to indicate an aircraft may be in distress. No such messages were received by the Coast Guard, he said.

Rescuers were searching the aircraft’s last known location by helicopter when the wreckage was spotted, said Mike Salerno, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard. Two rescue swimmers were lowered to investigate.

Local, state and federal agencies had assisted in the search effort, combing stretches of ice-dotted waters and scouring miles of frozen tundra.

Mayor chokes up announcing deaths from Alaskan plane crash

04:00 , Gustaf Kilander

'It’s hard to accept the reality of our loss,' senator says

03:00 , AP

“It’s hard to accept the reality of our loss,” U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said during an evening news conference.

Nome Mayor John Handeland choked up as he discussed the deaths and the response effort.

“Nome is a strong community, and in challenging times we come together and support each other. I expect the outpouring of support to continue in the coming days as we all work to recover from this tragic incident,” Handeland said.

The Cessna Caravan left Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m. Thursday, and officials lost contact with it less than an hour later, according to David Olson, director of operations for Bering Air. There was light snow and fog, with a temperature of 17 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 8.3 degrees Celsius), according to the National Weather Service.

The Coast Guard said the aircraft went missing about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Nome.

Alaska National Guard taking part in recovery efforts

02:00 , AP

As the community tried to process the deadly event, crews worked swiftly on unstable, slushy sea ice to recover the bodies and the wreckage. The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory, with snow and winds up to 45 miles per hour (72 kilometers per hour) expected to hit the region Saturday night, lasting into Sunday evening.

Officials said a Black Hawk helicopter would be used to move the aircraft once the bodies were removed.

John Dougherty, a spokesperson with the Alaska State Troopers, said the Alaska National Guard was among the entities helping with body recovery efforts.

The Alaska National Guard said two helicopters, a cargo aircraft and a team of pararescuemen were assisting in the recovery efforts.

Crews rush to recover commuter plane found crashed on Alaska sea ice before expected snow and wind

01:00 , AP

Authorities in western Alaska raced on Saturday to recover the remains of 10 people killed in a commuter plane crash from unstable sea ice before expected high winds and snow.

The aircraft is on an ice floe that is drifting about 5 miles (8 kilometers) a day, creating difficult conditions for recovery crews, said National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy during a press conference Saturday afternoon.

“Please know that we’ll work diligently to determine how this happened with the ultimate goal of improving safety in Alaska and across the United States,” said Homendy. The first priority is victim recovery, she said.

The Nome Volunteer Fire Department wrote on Facebook that they were using a window in the weather to try to “bring Bering passengers and crew home today” from one of the deadliest plane crashes in the state in 25 years.

The Bering Air single-engine turboprop plane was traveling from Unalakleet to the hub community of Nome when it disappeared Thursday afternoon. It was found the next day after an extensive search with all nine passengers and the pilot dead.

How will new Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy respond to air disasters?

00:08 , Josh Marcus

More than most officials, the newly confirmed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been thrown directly into crisis since joining the administration, with a string of air disasters taking place this month.

Trump's transportation secretary faces Washington plane crash crisis on first day

As progressive political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen points out, Duffy was a sharp critic of his Democratic predecessor Pete Buttigieg.

Time will tell if Duffy faces the same kind of pressures.

Coast Guard describes moments before Bering flight dropped off radar

Saturday 8 February 2025 23:08 , Josh Marcus

Missing Plane Alaska

Officials are still searching for information on why a Bering Air plane fell off radar then crashed on Thursday during a flight between Unalakleet and Nome.

“This aircraft experienced some kind of event which caused them to experience a rapid loss in elevation and a rapid loss in speed,” Ben McIntyre-Coble with the U.S Coast Guard said on Friday.

"You know, it's February in Alaska and the weather has not been fantastic,” he added.

Alaska crash follows spate of plane disasters

Saturday 8 February 2025 22:08 , Josh Marcus

This week’s plane crash in Alaska is the latest in a string of freak accidents across U.S. skies this year.

At the beginning of this month, an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army helicopter collided mid-air near Ronald Reagan National Airport, killing all 67 people onboard.

Bodies of all 67 victims of DC plane crash have been recovered from Potomac River

Two days later, a medical jet carrier a child patient from Mexico crashed into a residential neighborhood shortly after taking off from a Philadelphia-area airport.

Air ambulance carrying pediatric patient crashes into Philadelphia neighborhood

The Trump administration has vowed to fix the problem, with Elon Musk’s DOGE team saying it will “plug in” to the air traffic control system.

Musk will now 'plug in' to commandeer US air traffic control system

Friends and family grieve passengers of Bering Air flight

Saturday 8 February 2025 21:08 , Josh Marcus

People are mourning the loss of Bering Air passengers Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson, the first two victims of the 10-person crash who have been named.

“We lost two coworkers today,” Jackie Qataliña Schaeffer, who worked with the men at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, wrote on Facebook. “Families lost family members. My heart grieves for them all..”

“This breaks my heart,” Ashlee McSwain, Hartvigson’s niece, wrote on Facebook.

“I love you, Uncle Rhone,” Rhone Baumgartner’s niece Riley wrote on Facebook.

First responders try to make progress during 'weather window'

Saturday 8 February 2025 20:05 , Josh Marcus

Rescue crews are hard at work recovering the bodies of 10 people who were killed when a Bering Air jet crashed in rural Alaska during a storm this week.

“Efforts continue this morning in our weather window to bring Bering Air passengers and crew home today,” the Nome Volunteer Fire Department wrote in an updated on Saturday on Facebook.

Snow, gales, and strong winds are expected later today.

'Hazardous' weather warning as crews work to recover plane

Saturday 8 February 2025 19:05 , Josh Marcus

(NWS)

The National Weather Service is warning of hazardous weather that could last through Sunday in the area near where the Bering Air flight crashed, including snow, ice, and wind gusts as high as 45 mph.

“Travel could be very difficult,” the agency wrote in a forecast. “Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility.”

Gales warnings are in going to be in effect on Norton Sound beginning later tonight.

ICYMI: Alaska officials provide update on Bering Air crash

Saturday 8 February 2025 18:05 , Josh Marcus

Details have been scant this morning about the progress on the recovery mission for a Bering Air flight that crashed on Thursday, killing 10.

Local officials most recently updated the public yesterday.

Watch their full comments here.

'We're all connected': Tight-knit Alaska towns brace for plane crash victim IDs

Saturday 8 February 2025 16:45 , Josh Marcus

Authorities haven’t named all of those lost in the Bering Air crash on Thursday, but residents of the small towns around Alaska’s Norton Sound are bracing for the news.

“The whole Norton Sound is going to be affected by this,” Nick Hanson, a former American Ninja Warrior contestant from Unalakleet, the departure point of the flight, told Alaska’s News Source. “Whether they’re family or not, we’re all connected.

“We’re all just one big village.”

'My heart is broken': Alaska officials weigh in on crash

Saturday 8 February 2025 15:55 , Josh Marcus

Alaska officials are mourning those lost in the Bering Air crash.

Coast Guard divers describe crash site

Saturday 8 February 2025 15:25 , Josh Marcus

Despite unstable ice conditions at the crash site, the Coast Guard was able to lower two rescue divers onto the site yesterday.

“They were able to see inside the aircraft, and they saw three individuals who were unresponsive without any signs of life,” Coast Guard spokesperson Mike Salerno said Friday.

The rest of the aircraft was inaccessible due, though the remaining crew members are “believed to be inside that wreckage, and unfortunately, of course, it does not appear to be a survivable crash,” Salerno added.

Federal officials converge on Alaska to aid in crash response

Saturday 8 February 2025 14:54 , Josh Marcus

Missing Plane Alaska

Federal officials are aiding the sprawling rescue effort to recover the bodies of 10 people presumed killed in a plane that crashed in rural Alaska on Thursday.

The 176th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard is assisting in the mission, as is the U.S. Coast Guard.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are also en route to the disaster site.

“We have a pretty large response coming from Washington, D.C., from various locations in the air, in the neighborhood of nine people,” Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska chief, said on Friday.

The FBI’s Anchorage field office is providing technical assistance.

Victims named in Alaska plane crash

Saturday 8 February 2025 14:41 , Josh Marcus

Two of the 10 people likely killed in the Alaska plane crash have been identified as employees of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.

Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson worked in utility operations for the group.

They were in Unalakleet to service a heating system at a water plant, the consortium told local media.

“Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson were passionate about the work they did, cared deeply for the communities they served, and made a lasting impact on rural communities across our state,” Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium interim president Natasha Singh said in a statement to Alaska’s News Source.

“They gave the ultimate sacrifice for the people we serve in the work we do,” she added. “Everyone at ANTHC feels a sense of shock and loss because they were so crucial to our Rural Energy and Tribal Support teams. My thoughts are with their families, the people who worked alongside them day in and day out, and for everyone else who lost a loved one today.”

Recap: What happened to the vanished Bering air flight near Nome

Saturday 8 February 2025 14:00 , Mike Bedigan

A plane carrying 10 people that went missing in rural Alaska during a brutal winter storm on Thursday, has now been found.

Rescue crews are worked through “zero visibility conditions” to search for survivors aboard the Bering Air Flight 445, though authorities later announced there had been no survivors.

Here’s what we know so far:

What happened to the missing Alaska plane that vanished near Nome?

ICYMI: Wreckage of missing Alaska flight found with no survivors

Saturday 8 February 2025 13:00 , Mike Bedigan

A plane matching the one that went missing in Alaska with 10 aboard has been found, along with three bodies, authorities have confirmed.

The U.S. Coast Guard said the aircraft had been found approximately 34 miles southeast of of Nome and that all the passengers on board are dead. “Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic incident,” the USCG said.

Read the full story here:

Plane matching missing Alaska flight found along with three bodies

Unspecified 'event' caused missing aircraft to drop off radars

Saturday 8 February 2025 12:00 , Mike Bedigan

An unspecified “event” caused the Bering Air Flight 445 to drop off the radars, officials have said.

Coast Guard Luitenant Commander Ben McIntyre-Coble said on Friday that “some kind of event” caused the aircraft to “rapidly lose altitude and speed.”

He said he could not comment on the nature of the event, and added that investigations are ongoing.

All passengers on missing flight were adults

Saturday 8 February 2025 11:00 , Mike Bedigan

All 10 passengers on the missing Bering flight were adults, officials have confirmed.

Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Ben McIntyre-Coble said that the trip was a “regularly scheduled commuter flight” at a press conference on Friday.

The USCG announced that all those aboard the plane were dead, at around 3 p.m. local time on Friday.

Watch: Major search launched as Bering Air plane goes missing in Alaska with 10 onboard

Saturday 8 February 2025 10:00 , Mike Bedigan

Three aviation incidents in 8 days

Saturday 8 February 2025 09:00 , Kelly Rissman

The U.S. skies have seen multiple aviation incidents since late January.

On January 29, a military helicopter collided with an American Airlines jet, killing all 67 people on board both aircrafts.

Days later, a medical jet carrying a young girl, her mother and four crew members crashed down in northeast Philadelphia, claiming all the lives on board.

Now, the plane flying 10 people to Nome, Alaska has disappeared during a winter storm. Officials are now in a race against time to find the nine passengers and pilot.

Cause of the incident remains 'unknown' after plane and passengers found dead

Saturday 8 February 2025 08:00 , Mike Bedigan

Though the aircraft and its passengers have now been found, the cause of the incident is still unknown.

Authorities previously said Bering Air Flight 455 suffered “some kind of event” before that caused it to “rapidly lose altitude and speed.”

What happened to the vanished Bering air flight near Nome?

Saturday 8 February 2025 07:00 , Mike Bedigan

A plane carrying 10 people that went missing in rural Alaska during a brutal winter storm on Thursday, has now been found.

Rescue crews are worked through “zero visibility conditions” to search for survivors aboard the Bering Air Flight 445, though authorities later announced there had been no survivors.

Read more here:

What happened to the missing Alaska plane that vanished near Nome?

Saturday 8 February 2025 06:00 , Mike Bedigan

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy said he and his wife were “heartbroken” by the deaths of the Bering Air Flight 445 passengers.

“Our prayers are with the families, friends, and communities mourning this tragedy,” he wrote on X.

“We are grateful to the search teams who worked tirelessly to locate the aircraft. I ask all Alaskans to keep those affected in their thoughts and prayers.”

Coast Guard shares picture of the wreckage of Bering Air Flight 445

Saturday 8 February 2025 05:01 , Mike Bedigan

Missing Alaska plane. found with three bodies inside (USCG/X)

Is it still safe to fly?

Saturday 8 February 2025 04:00 , Mike Bedigan

Nine passengers and a pilot are missing after Bering Air flight 445 vanished in the rural western region of Nome in Alaska.

The missing plane marks the third major air incident involving US personnel in 10 days.

A mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and a US military Black Hawk helicopter in Washington DC took the lives of 67 passengers on Wednesday 29 January.

Two days later, a medical jet crashed in Northeast Philadelphia, killing seven people, including all six passengers on board.

Simon Calder looks at the alarming question of how safe it is to fly:

Is it still safe to fly? What you need to know after spate of plane crashes

Missing plane found on sea ice

Saturday 8 February 2025 03:00 , Mike Bedigan

The Bering Air flight 455 was located on sea ice, authorities said on Friday.

Mike Salerno, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard, said rescuers were searching the aircraft's last known location by helicopter when they spotted the wreckage.

They lowered two rescue swimmers to investigate.

Flight tracker captures moment Bering Air plane disappears over Alaska

Saturday 8 February 2025 02:00 , Mike Bedigan

A flight tracker has captured the moment a Bering Air plane with 10 people on board disappears over Alaska.

The plane carrying went missing in rural Alaska during a dangerous winter storm, with search and rescue crews scouring the ground and medical personnel “standing ready”.

Watch below:

Flight tracker captures moment Bering Air plane disappears over Alaska

Seven dead passengers trapped inside plane

Saturday 8 February 2025 01:00 , Mike Bedigan

In a post on X the Coast Guard said that all the passengers were dead, but that some were trapped inside the wreckage.

“The remaining 7 people are believed to be inside the aircraft but are currently inaccessible due to the condition of the plane,” USCG wrote.

“Our heartfelt condolences are with those affected by this tragic incident.”

'Every available resources' being used to find passengers

Saturday 8 February 2025 00:30 , Mike Bedigan

Authorities are using “every available resource” to find the passengers of the missing Bering Air plane, and all the families have been notified. of

On Friday, Alaska State Trooper Lt. Ben Endres said all occupants were adults on a regularly scheduled commuter flight.

"To the families and loved ones of those that are missing, just know we are using every available resource and working closely with the other teams, and every request that we've made for federal or state assistance has been granted and we continue to move forward working with our partners," Endres said.

Saturday 8 February 2025 00:15 , Mike Bedigan

A plane matching the one that went missing in Alaska with 10 aboard has been found, along with three bodies, authorities have confirmed.

The U.S. Coast Guard said the aircraft had been found approximately 34 miles southeast of of Nome. “Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic incident,” the USCG said.

Read the full story more here:

Plane matching missing Alaska flight found along with three bodies

Breaking: All passengers on crashed plane in Alaska are dead, authorities say

Saturday 8 February 2025 00:11 , Mike Bedigan

All 10 people aboard a small commuter plane that crashed in western Alaska are dead, the U.S. Coast Guard has said.

Watch: Major search launched as Bering Air plane goes missing in Alaska with 10 onboard

Saturday 8 February 2025 00:00 , Mike Bedigan

Coast Guard confirms aircraft discovery

Friday 7 February 2025 23:46 , Mike Bedigan

Breaking: Missing flight found, authorities say

Friday 7 February 2025 23:34 , Mike Bedigan

A plane matching the one that went missing in Alaska with 10 aboard has been found, authorities say.

Three bodies were also found along with the aircraft, the Associated Press reported.

Alaska incident third U.S. aviation disaster in just over a week

Friday 7 February 2025 23:30 , Mike Bedigan

The disappearance of the Bering flight is the third aviation disaster in 10 days.

A mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. military Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C., took the lives of 67 people last Wednesday.

Two days later, a medical jet crashed in Northeast Philadelphia, killing seven people, including all six passengers on board.

The National Transport Safety Board is investigating all three incidents.

Sub-zero conditions recorded at time of disappearance

Friday 7 February 2025 23:01 , Mike Bedigan

Officials said that at the time of the flight’s disappearance, conditions were below zero in both the air and the sea.

Lt. Cmdr. Ben McIntyre-Coble told reporters on Friday that the air was about 3 degrees Fahrenheit, with a sea water temperature of about 29 degrees Fahrenheit.

Recap: What happened to the vanished Bering air flight near Nome

Friday 7 February 2025 22:30 , Mike Bedigan

Following Friday’s press conference update, here’s what we know so far about the missing Alaska flight:

What happened to the missing Alaska plane that vanished near Nome?

'Item of interest' found in search for missing aircraft

Friday 7 February 2025 22:00 , Mike Bedigan

Search teams have identified an 'item of interest' in the Alaska rescue mission, officials said on Friday.

A representative from the U.S. Coast Guard said the item was found by an aircraft not involved with the search.

Authorities have deployed an aircraft to the area to verify if the “item” is connected to the missing plane.

Operations still an 'active search and rescue'

Friday 7 February 2025 21:45 , Mike Bedigan

The U.S. Coast Guard says that currently, operations are still in the “search and rescue” stages, rather than a “recovery” mission.

A spokesperson from the USCG said: “Speaking entirely from the Coast Guard's perspective, this is an active search and rescue case, so 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.

“We continue to have air assets overhead and are in close coordination with the with the local authorities, including the Alaska State Troopers, to provide potentially on-the-ice assistance to any persons who might 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.”

All passengers on missing flight were adults

Friday 7 February 2025 21:30 , Mike Bedigan

All 10 passengers on the missing Bering flight were adults, officials have confirmed.

Coast Guard Luitenant Commander McIntyre Cobel said that the trip was a “regularly scheduled commuter flight” at a press conference on Friday.

Unspecified 'event' caused missing aircraft to drop off radars

Friday 7 February 2025 21:20 , Mike Bedigan

An unspecified “event” caused the Bering Air Flight 445 to drop off the radars, officials have said.

Coast Guard Luitenant Commander McIntyre Cobel said that “some kind of event” caused the aircraft to “rapidly lose altitude and speed.”

He said he could not comment on the nature of the event, and added that investigations are ongoing.

City of Nome to hold a vigil for pilot and passengers on board plane that vanished

Friday 7 February 2025 21:00 , Kelly Rissman

Cause of the incident remains 'unknown' as Coast Guard gears up to hold briefing

Friday 7 February 2025 20:42 , Kelly Rissman

FBI agents are using cellphone tracking data to help locate the aircraft, according to the Associated Press. The air and land search operations continue.

The cause of the incident is still unknown, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, which will be holding a press briefing at 4 p.m. ET.

Weather is 'looking stable' for air search: fire department

Friday 7 February 2025 20:15 , Kelly Rissman

The weather is ‘looking stable for the next 24 hours’ for air search, according to the Nome Volunteer Fire Department in a Friday update.

Helicopters, including from the International Guard, are planning on canvassing the area from above while the Coast Guard is set to monitor ice movement as the search and rescue operation continues.

The departure city offered 'heartfelt regards' to those on missing flight

Friday 7 February 2025 20:00 , Kelly Rissman

The City of Unalakleet expresses its heartfelt regards for our community, Nome, the Bering Air family, & that of those on board. Thank you to the searchers who are working tirelessly.

WATCH: Major search launched as Bering Air plane goes missing in Alaska with 10 onboard

Friday 7 February 2025 19:45 , Kelly Rissman

An update from the Alaska Department of Public Safety

Friday 7 February 2025 19:30 , Kelly Rissman

Search efforts for the missing plane are ongoing. The U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska Air National Guard, Alaska Army National Guard, Alaska State Troopers, and local search teams are actively looking for the aircraft.

The U.S. Coast Guard is the lead agency overseeing the ongoing search efforts.

Plane disappeared in the infamous 'Alaska Triangle'

Friday 7 February 2025 19:15 , Kelly Rissman

The Bering Air flight appears to have disappeared in a notorious region known as the ‘Alaska Triangle’ — the area between Utqiagvik, Anchorage, and Juneau.

In 1972, a Cessna plane carrying House Majority Leader Hale Boggs and Congressman Nick Begich went missing when flying between Anchorage and Juneau amid inclement weather.

After a 39-day search, the Congressmen and others on board were never found.

Thousands of people have gone missing in the region since the 1950s, according to the History Channel.

'Heartbroken': Alaska governor sends prayers to passengers, pilot and loved ones after plane disappearance

Friday 7 February 2025 19:00 , Kelly Rissman

Three aviation incidents in 8 days

Friday 7 February 2025 18:45 , Kelly Rissman

The U.S. skies have seen multiple aviation incidents since late January.

On January 29, a military helicopter collided with an American Airlines jet, killing all 67 people on board both aircrafts.

Days later, a medical jet carrying a young girl, her mother and four crew members crashed down in northeast Philadelphia, claiming all the lives on board.

Now, the plane flying 10 people to Nome, Alaska has disappeared during a winter storm. Officials are now in a race against time to find the nine passengers and pilot.

Is it still safe to fly?

Friday 7 February 2025 18:30 , Kelly Rissman

Nine passengers and a pilot are missing after Bering Air flight 445 vanished in the rural western region of Nome in Alaska.

The missing plane marks the third major air incident involving US personnel in 10 days.

A mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and a US military Black Hawk helicopter in Washington DC took the lives of 67 passengers on Wednesday 29 January.

Two days later, a medical jet crashed in Northeast Philadelphia, killing seven people, including all six passengers on board.

These calamities follow two aviation tragedies within four days that killed more than 200 passengers and crew. The Christmas Day crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E190 was followed by the loss four days later of a Jeju Air Boeing 737.

Simon Calder has the story.

Is it still safe to fly? What you need to know after spate of plane crashes

'Renewed resources' are heading to area in question

Friday 7 February 2025 18:15 , Kelly Rissman

The Nome Volunteer Fire Department says it’s “engaged with renewed resources for increasing search coverage in the daylight hours.”

Several air and ground crews, including the National Guard’s Blackhawk, are searching the area, according to the fire department’s Friday update. The FBI will also be coming to Nome “try and locate the group through cell phone tracking” while the Department of Transportation “is standing by to open the road if needed.”

The plane has not communicated by Emergency Locator Transmitter, a device that transmits distress signals.

What do the search and rescue operation look like?

Friday 7 February 2025 18:00 , Rhian Lubin

Crews are now in a race against time to find the passengers and have been scouring the ground in Nome and the White Mountains. White Mountain Fire Chief Jack Adams said crews were prepared to be out all night.

“They will search here until they find them or somebody else finds them,” Adams told Alaska’s KTUU on Thursday. “If they don’t find anything, we’ll probably rally another crew to go and help.”

Adams said that crews are “hoping” that the plane is on land and described the sea as “jumbled” because of the ice. “Being in the water would be the worst-case scenario,” he said.

The latest update from the Nome Volunteer Fire Department at 12.30 a.m. local time was that crews were still searching. An update is due at 9 a.m. local time, the department said.

Moment Bering Air 445 appears to disappear as it passes over Bering Sea, Alaska

Friday 7 February 2025 17:47 , Kelly Rissman

What happened to the vanished Bering air flight near Nome?

Friday 7 February 2025 17:30 , Rhian Lubin

Nine passengers and a pilot were on board the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft on Bering Air Flight 445.

The plane took off from the small city of Unalakleet, which has a community of just over 700, on the west coast of Alaska at 2:37 p.m. local time Thursday. Officials lost contact with the aircraft less than an hour later, according to the director of operations for Bering Air, David Olson, and went off radio roughly 10 minutes before its scheduled arrival in the small coastal city of Nome.

The flight time is usually 55 minutes. It was approximately 12 miles offshore flying over the Norton Sound when it disappeared, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

According to officials, the plane pilot told air traffic control in Anchorage, the state’s largest city, that he had intended to enter a holding pattern while waiting for the runway in Nome to be cleared before the aircraft disappeared.

The Alaska Coast Guard is searching, but so far have come up with 'negative results'

Friday 7 February 2025 17:15 , Kelly Rissman

What have officials said?

Friday 7 February 2025 17:00 , Kelly Rissman

Ten passengers were on board the aircraft traveling from Unalakleet to Nome, the Alaska Department of Safety said, noting Search and rescue crews are “working to get to the last known coordinates.”

The National Transportation Safety Board told the Washington Post early Friday that it “is aware of the reports” and that the situation is being monitored.

“Staff at Bering Air is working hard to gather details, get emergency assistance, search and rescue going,” David Olson, director of operations for Bering Air, told the Associated Press.

Who were the 10 passengers on board the missing Bering plane?

Friday 7 February 2025 16:45 , Kelly Rissman

Little information is known about the Bering Air flight, which was en route from Unalakleet to Nome.

Ten people were on board: nine passengers and one pilot, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

The identities of those aboard the aircraft have not yet been released.

No update on the location of the aircraft as crews search area

Friday 7 February 2025 16:30 , Kelly Rissman

The Nome Volunteer Fire Department said it hasn’t found the missing aircraft.

“Crews are still searching on the ground, canvassing as much area as possible. The National Guard C-130 reported they found nothing found so far,” NVFD said in a Facebook post.

“The Airforce also sent a C-130 resumed the search and also have reported no visuals, and have one hour of flight search time remaining.”

WATCH: Major search launched as Bering Air plane goes missing in Alaska with 10 onboard

Friday 7 February 2025 16:15 , Kelly Rissman

ICYM: Tracking Bering Air 445 before it disappeared over Bering Sea

Friday 7 February 2025 16:00 , James Liddell

Nome police ask the community for boats to assist in search and rescue mission

Friday 7 February 2025 15:31 , James Liddell

The Nome Police Department thanked residents for their “overwhelming” support after they put out a plea asking the community for flat-bottom boats to be used in the search for Flight 445.

“We have now located a sufficient number of boats,” the department wrote on Facebook.

Hours earlier on Thursday, it wrote: “NPD is requesting assistance locating any community members who own a working flat bottom boat or Jon boat that can assist with search and rescue. Please contact the Nome Police Department non-emergency number (907)443-5262. Or comment on this post.”

Officials warn public not to search for survivors

Friday 7 February 2025 15:03 , James Liddell

The Nome Volunteer Fire Department has asked the public not to look for the missing plane, nor those on board, due to adverse weather conditions.

“We ask the public to please think of those who may be missing at this time, but due to weather and safety concerns please do not form individual search parties,” they wrote in a statement on Thursday.

Temperatures plummeted to minus -8.3C in Unalakleet with light snow and fog around take-off, the agency said. At its worst, visibility was down to only half a mile.

Nome Airport faced light snow and freezing drizzle were seen around on Thursday evening, according to the National Weather Service.

Alaska State Troopers join hunt for missing plane

Friday 7 February 2025 14:38 , James Liddell

Missing Alaska plane marks U.S.'s third major air incident in nine days

Friday 7 February 2025 14:18 , James Liddell

The missing Alaska plane marks the third major air incident in just over a week.

A mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. military Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, DC took the lives of 67 people last Wednesday.

Two days later, a medical jet crashed in Northeast Philadelphia, killing seven people, including all six passengers on board.

Psychotherapist and licensed aviator Michaela Renee Johnson told ABC News that frequent flyers may be subjected to travel anxiety.

“I would say people that are on the fence about whether or not to book that vacation are probably hesitant to do that," he said.

Recap: What happened to the vanished Bering air flight near Nome

Saturday 8 February 2025 00:47 , Mike Bedigan

A plane carrying 10 people that went missing in rural Alaska during a brutal winter storm on Thursday, has now been found.

Rescue crews are worked through “zero visibility conditions” to search for survivors aboard the Bering Air Flight 445, though authorities later announced there had been no survivors.

Here’s what we know so far:

What happened to the missing Alaska plane that vanished near Nome?

Search and rescue crews faced ‘zero visibility’

Friday 7 February 2025 13:55 , James Liddell

White Mountain Fire Chief Jack Adams shared the treacherous conditions search and rescue crews faced late on Thursday through Friday morning as they attempted to locate the missing aircraft.

“Basically, you can’t see anything from the air or the ground, and in the dark looking for something in zero visibility is a tough job,” he told Alaska’s News Source.

Nome Airport faced light snow and freezing drizzle were seen around on Thursday evening, according to the National Weather Service. Meanwhile, it was minus -8.3C in Unalakleet with light snow and fog around take-off, the agency said. At its worst, visibility was down to only half a mile.

Alaska Senator offers prayers

Friday 7 February 2025 13:30 , James Liddell

Air Force and National Guard 'find nothing'

Friday 7 February 2025 13:10 , James Liddell

The U.S. Air Force and National Guard have “found nothing” as they searched for the missing aircraft and the 10 people on board through the night, according to the Nome Volunteer Fire Department.

Search and rescue personnel were still searching on the ground, “canvassing as much area as possible,” the fire department said in a statement early on Friday.

It added: “The National Guard C-130 reported they found nothing found so far. The Airforce also sent a C-130 resumed the search and also have reported no visuals, and have one hour of flight search time remaining.”

Alaska congressman speaks out

Friday 7 February 2025 12:50 , James Liddell

GOP Representative Nick Begich took to Facebook early morning to address the missing Bering Air Flight 445.

“We are monitoring reports of the missing Bering Air flight over the coast of western Alaska between Nome and Unalakleet. A coordinated ground and aerial search is underway. My team and I stand ready to assist the community of Nome and Governor Mike Dunleavy in any way we can.”

Town where Alaska plane vanished has a dark, mysterious history of missing persons

Friday 7 February 2025 12:30 , James Liddell

From 1960 to 2004, there were a reported 24 disappearances from the remote, isolated town of Nome, according to the FBI.

The population fluctuated between 2,300 and 3,600 within that period.

The rural Alaskan enclave has been steeped in myth and mystery and even became the focus of a sci-fi pseudo-documentary: The Fourth Kind.

An investigation was launched amid fears of a serial killer.

But the FBI found that alcohol abuse and the Alaskan wilderness were most likely to blame – not a killer.

Its most recent disappearances include Joseph Balderas, 36, who in June 2016 vanished without a trace. Just four years later, in August 2020, Florence Okpealuk, 33, an Alaskan Native, also went missing.

Fire chief reveals ‘worst-case scenario’

Friday 7 February 2025 12:06 , James Liddell

White Mountain Fire Chief Jack Adams revealed that finding Bering Air Flight 445 in the Norton Sound in the Bering Sea.

“We’re hoping [the plane] is on land, being in the water would be the worst-case scenario,” he told Alaska’s News Source on Thursday.

What is the plane that went missing?

Friday 7 February 2025 11:51 , James Liddell

The missing plane is believed to be a Cessna 208 Grand Caravan. The popular turboprop can fly up to 12 passengers and their luggage to remote locations.

A full aircraft with luggage can fly for three hours without needing to refuel. It is capable of landing on rough fields and airstrips.

Bering Air Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, like the one missing, photographed in Nome, Alaska (Quintin Soloviev)

'We will search until we find them'

Friday 7 February 2025 11:35 , James Liddell

White Mountain Fire Chief Jack Adams said that search and rescue teams are searching a 30-mile stretch between the Nome and Topkok areas.

He told Alaska’s News Source on Thursday evening that the S&R teams “will search here until they find them or somebody else finds them”.

He continued: “If they don’t find anything, we’ll probably rally another crew to go and help.”

Fire Chief: ‘We’re trying to figure out the plane’s glide rate’

Friday 7 February 2025 11:21 , James Liddell

Nome Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jim West said that officials were working to figure out the Bering Air plane’s glide rate: the distance of forward travel divided by how much altitude was lost.

"We try to figure the last known position, the glide rate and that’s where we are at right now, between Solomon and Cape Nome, in that general area," West told local newspaper Nome Nugget on Thursday.

Alaska air travel isn’t just preferred, it’s essential

Friday 7 February 2025 10:58 , James Liddell

Alaska is by far the U.S. biggest state at 663,268 square miles – approximately three times the land area of France. It dwarfs Texas, the second-largest state, which spread cross almost 270,000 square miles.

For many of its 740,000 inhabitants – particularly those living in remote towns – planes aren’t just the preferred way to travel, they are the only way. A majority of the state is not accessible, by road.

It is particularly true for hard-to-reach native villages, especially in the Arctic and Southwest regions, and some coastal communities.

Along with traditional wheeled planes for landing on solid ground, in some instances, seaplanes are used to land on water and ski planes for snow.

Hospital gears up for casualties

Friday 7 February 2025 10:43 , James Liddell

Norton Sound Health Corporation, a local hospital based in Nome, said it is “standing ready to respond to a community medical emergency”.

“A family center is accepting family members and loved ones in the Norton Sound Regional Hospital’s third-floor conference room,” it added in a Facebook post on Thursday.

Who is Berring Air?

Friday 7 February 2025 10:29 , James Liddell

Bering Air was established in Nome, Alaska in September 1979.

When it commenced operations in October of that year, it had a single aircraft.

Today, its fleet consists of 44 planes – both commercial and cargo.

The airline flies roughly 32 regions in western Alaska from its three bases in Nome, Kotzebue and Unalakleet.

Approximately 150 employees work for the company, according to its website.

Pilot battled freezing temperatures and poor visibility

Friday 7 February 2025 10:25 , James Liddell

Nome Airport faced light snow and freezing drizzle were seen around on Thursday evening, according to the National Weather Service.

Meanwhile, it was minus -8.3C in Unalakleet with light snow and fog around take-off, the agency said. At its worst, visibility was down to only half a mile.

Wind gusts up to 35 mph were forecast overnight.

What do we know so far?

Friday 7 February 2025 10:11 , James Liddell

A plane carrying 10 people went missing in rural Alaska during a brutal winter storm, with search and rescue crews scouring the ground and medical personnel “standing ready”.

The “overdue” aircraft, operated by Bering Air, was reported missing just before 4 p.m. local time on Thursday while en route from Unalakleet to Nome in the west of the state.

According to Alaska’s Department of Public Safety, nine passengers and a pilot were on board the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan on Bering Air Flight 445.

The plane took off from Unalakleet, a small community of 690 people, at 2:37 p.m., and officials lost contact with it less than an hour later, according to the director of operations for Bering Air, David Olson. It went off radio roughly 10 minutes before its scheduled arrival in Nome.

It was approximately 12 miles offshore, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

James Liddell details what is known so far.

Major search launched as Bering Air plane goes missing in Alaska with 10 onboard

Plane disappeared in the infamous 'Alaska Triangle'

Friday 7 February 2025 23:25 , Kelly Rissman

The Bering Air flight appears to have disappeared in a notorious region known as the ‘Alaska Triangle’ — the area between Utqiagvik, Anchorage, and Juneau.

In 1972, a Cessna plane carrying House Majority Leader Hale Boggs and Congressman Nick Begich went missing when flying between Anchorage and Juneau amid inclement weather.

After a 39-day search, the Congressmen and others on board were never found.

Thousands of people have gone missing in the region since the 1950s, according to the History Channel.

Watch: Major search launched as Bering Air plane goes missing

Friday 7 February 2025 09:54 , James Liddell

Bering plane '12 miles offshore' when position lost

Friday 7 February 2025 09:49 , James Liddell

Alaska Senator offers prayers

Friday 7 February 2025 09:47 , James Liddell

Mapped: Moment Bering Air flight 455 vanished

Friday 7 February 2025 09:44 , James Liddell

Pilot alerted Anchorage air traffic control before plane vanished

Friday 7 February 2025 09:41 , James Liddell

The plane pilot told air traffic control in Anchorage he had intended to enter a holding pattern – an oval course flown by aircraft awaiting further clearance – while waiting for the runway in Nome to be cleared before the aircraft disappeared, officials said.

Where did the aircraft go missing?

Friday 7 February 2025 09:38 , James Liddell

The Bering Air plane took off from Unalakleet, a small community of 690 people, at 2:37 p.m. local time on Thursday, and officials lost contact with it less than an hour later, according to the director of operations for Bering Air, David Olson.

It went off radio roughly 10 minutes before its scheduled arrival in Nome.

The jet was reported missing just before 4 p.m. It was approximately 12 miles offshore, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Tracking flight Bering Air Flight 445

Friday 7 February 2025 09:29 , James Liddell

Flight tracker captures moment Bering Air plane with 10 onboard disappears over Alaska. (Flightradar24)

'Plane's exact location uknown'

Friday 7 February 2025 09:27 , James Liddell

The Nome Volunteer Fire Department, which is conducting an active ground search of Nome and the White Mountains, said the precise location of the aircraft is not clear.

“The plane’s exact location is still unknown. We continue to expand search efforts to as many avenues as possible until the plane is located,” the fire department wrote in an update late on Thursday.

10 missing as search and rescue efforts commence

Friday 7 February 2025 09:23 , James Liddell

Nine passengers and a pilot were on board the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan on Bering Air Flight 445, according to Alaska’s Department of Public Safety.

The Nome Volunteer Fire Department is conducting an active ground search in Nome and the White Mountains, according to a Facebook post. The search has been hampered by poor weather conditions and visibility.

The Coast Guard and U.S. Air Force stepped in with flights planned to scope out the area and attempt to locate the missing aircraft.

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