Search and rescue crews are looking for a Bering Air plane that went missing while en route to Nome, Alaska, with 10 people on board. The small turboprop Cessna Caravan was reported missing at 4 p.m. local time on Thursday, with the last known coordinates being worked on. The pilot had informed air traffic control about entering a holding pattern near Nome. The U.S. Coast Guard lost the plane’s position 12 miles offshore from Unalakleet to Nome. Ground searches are ongoing in Nome and White Mountain, and the National Guard and Coast Guard are also involved in the search. Air search operations were initially hindered by weather conditions but an HC-130 Coast Guard plane has arrived in the area to aid in the search.
Alaska has a high number of air taxi accidents due to its challenging terrain and weather conditions. Bering Air, an Alaska-based regional airline, operates a number of aircraft, and search parties have been advised not to form individual search parties due to safety concerns. The incident is the latest in a series of aviation incidents in the U.S., including fatal crashes and other accidents at major airports in recent weeks. The public is encouraged to keep those missing in their thoughts but to refrain from forming search parties for safety reasons. Families are advised to seek support from Norton Sound Health Corporation.
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