Bering Air Flight With 9 Passengers Disappears Near Alaska; Search Operation Underway (X image @ronstauffer)
A Bering Air flight carrying 10 people has gone missing near Alaska. The flight was en route from Unalakleet to Alaska’s Nome. The aircraft named Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, lost contact on Thursday afternoon while flying over Norton Sound. An extensive search and rescue operation is underway.
According to the Alaska Department of Public Safety, the aircraft went missing around 4 p.m. local time, and had nine passengers and one pilot aboard. Medics with Norton Sound Health Corporation are on standby with its mass casualty protocol to provide medical assistance if needed.
Flight data shows the plane departed Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m. and last transmitted its location at 3:16 p.m. over the Norton Sound region, reported KTUU. Rescue teams are making efforts to reach the aircraft’s last known coordinates. Reason for the collision is still unknown. At the same time, adverse conditions have been reported in the region it went missing.
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“On February 6, 2025, at 4.00 pm, AST was contacted by AKRCC in reference to an overdue aircraft. It was reported that a Bering Air Caravan had gone missing while en-route from Unalakteet to Nome, with 9 passengers and 1 pilot on board. SAR (Search And Rescue) crews are working to get to the last known coordinates. Updates to follow”, read the statement issued by Alaska State Troopers.
The latest mishappening comes after the tragic plane crash in Philadelphia that claimed four lives. A mid-air collision in Washington, D.C., between a military aircraft and a jet that left 67 dead were also happened this week. A ground search is currently underway to locate possible wreckage, according to media reports.
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The National Guard, Coast Guard, and state troopers are actively involved in the search and rescue operation. A rescue team in Nome, equipped with snowmachines and other vehicles, is preparing to respond once weather conditions improve. Rain, sleet, and snow are affecting the visibility and search operations.
(With inputs from agencies)
