The search for a missing plane in Alaska has ended in tragedy. On Friday, the wreckage of a small aircraft was discovered on sea ice, with all 10 people aboard confirmed dead. The plane had vanished the day before, leaving authorities with little hope for survival.
Last known location
The Cessna Caravan, carrying nine passengers and a pilot, took off from Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m. Thursday, heading toward Nome. But within an hour, the plane lost contact with officials. It was last known to be flying over the frigid waters of Alaska’s Norton Sound. Authorities feared the worst.
Wreckage found 34 miles southeast of Nome
By Friday, Coast Guard rescue teams had located the wreckage 34 miles southeast of Nome. They found the plane on sea ice, about 12 miles from shore. Helicopter crews were the first to spot it, scouring the area where the plane had last been tracked. Two rescue swimmers were lowered to investigate.
The scene was heartbreaking. Inside the plane, three bodies were immediately spotted. Seven others are believed to be inside, but the wreckage was too damaged to reach them. The crash site was described as being too dangerous for further access at that time.
Rapid loss of altitude and speed
The plane had experienced a “rapid loss” of altitude and speed just before it vanished. “Something happened to cause the plane to drop quickly,” said US Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble. The cause remains unclear. Investigations continue.
Plane at maximum capacity
The crash is still under investigation. The plane, a single-engine Cessna, was at maximum capacity when it disappeared. Authorities have yet to release the names of the victims, but they confirmed all passengers were adults.
This tragedy is the third major US aviation disaster in just one week. Just days earlier, an American Airlines flight collided with an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., killing 67 people. Then, a medical plane crash in Philadelphia claimed six more lives.
