A small commuter plane en route to Nome, Alaska, tragically crashed in western Alaska, claiming the lives of all 10 individuals on board, as confirmed by officials. This incident is marked as one of the state’s most devastating aviation accidents in over two decades.
Rescue teams were conducting aerial searches for the aircraft’s last known coordinates when they discovered the wreckage on the sea ice, according to Mike Salerno, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard. Helicopters were deployed, and two rescue swimmers were sent down to assess the situation at the crash site.
Images released by the Coast Guard depicted the shattered remnants of the plane scattered across the ice, with two individuals dressed in emergency gear examining the vicinity. “It’s hard to accept the reality of our loss,” remarked U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski at a news briefing later that evening.
Emotional responses were echoed by Nome Mayor John Handeland, who expressed sorrow over the fatalities and the ongoing rescue efforts. “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,” he stated.
A prayer service was arranged for the evening as the community began to mourn those lost. As conditions rapidly changed, officials indicated that the focus would shift towards a recovery mission, taking into account the hazardous weather predicted within the next 18 hours, as well as unstable “young ice.”
Jim West, chief of the Nome Volunteer Fire Department, noted the urgency of the situation, stating, “They are on the ice as we speak. The conditions out there are dynamic, and so we’ve got to do it safely and the fastest way we can.”
The aircraft, a Bering Air single-engine turboprop, had departed Unalakleet with nine passengers and a pilot at 2:37 p.m. on Thursday, operating at its full capacity, per the airline’s guidelines. Contact was lost less than an hour later during flight.
Weather reports indicated that the plane was flying amidst light snow and fog, with temperatures around 17 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately -8.3 Celsius). The plane went missing roughly 30 miles southeast of Nome, according to the Coast Guard.
Radar data from the U.S. Civil Air Patrol suggested that at approximately 3:18 p.m., the aircraft experienced a significant decline in both altitude and speed. However, details about the cause remain undetermined, as provided by Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Benjamin McIntyre-Coble.
No distress signals from the plane had been reported. The aircraft is equipped with an emergency locating transmitter that activates upon exposure to seawater but failed to send any alerts to the Coast Guard.
All individuals aboard the plane were adults, and the flight served as a scheduled commuter transition. Reports confirmed that two of the deceased were on a work assignment for a tribal health organization.
Various local, state, and federal agencies collaborated in the search for the aircraft, covering ice-laden waters and vast frozen territories. The National Transportation Safety Board announced it would dispatch a team of nine investigators to the scene.
In Alaska, flying plays a crucial role in connecting communities across the expansive land, where road infrastructure is sparse. Many regions rely heavily on small aircraft for transport, whether it be for sporting events or essential goods.
This tragic incident marked the third significant aviation accident in the U.S. within a week, following a collision between a jetliner and an Army helicopter near Washington D.C. that resulted in 67 fatalities, and a medical transport crash in Philadelphia that killed six individuals along with another civilian.
Bering Air connects 32 villages in western Alaska, operating out of Nome, Kotzebue, and Unalakleet, with many locations receiving frequent scheduled flights throughout the week.
Unalakleet, home to about 690 residents, is roughly 150 miles southeast of Nome and along the famed Iditarod trail, while Nome, a historic Gold Rush town, sits just south of the Arctic Circle and serves as the conclusion for the iconic Iditarod sled dog race. The city announced that prayer vigils would be held for those aboard the aircraft, their friends and families, as well as for the participants in the search and recovery process.
