Officials report that the bodies of all 10 victims from the Alaska plane crash have been collected.

JUNEAU, Alaska — The remains of all 10 individuals who tragically perished in the recent plane crash over the icy Bering Sea have been successfully recovered, officials confirmed. The Nome Volunteer Fire Department shared this update on its Facebook page, noting that recovery teams were racing against an impending winter storm to ensure the bodies were brought back before the weather worsened.

“All ten individuals aboard the Bering Air plane have been officially brought home,” the fire department reported in their post. However, they mentioned that efforts were still ongoing to recover the downed aircraft.

The ill-fated flight was a single-engine turboprop operated by Bering Air, which was en route from Unalakleet to Nome when it lost contact on Thursday afternoon. Following extensive search efforts, the plane was discovered the next day, but unfortunately, all nine passengers and the pilot were pronounced dead, marking it as one of the worst aviation disasters in Alaska in the last quarter-century.

Currently, the aircraft is situated on an ice floe that is drifting approximately 5 miles daily, complicating recovery operations, as shared by Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, in a Saturday press conference. “We will work diligently to understand how this tragedy occurred, aiming to enhance safety in Alaska and throughout the U.S.,” Homendy stated.

Recovery efforts have been hampered by unstable, slushy sea ice conditions. Concurrently, the National Weather Service issued a winter advisory warning of expected snowfall and wind gusts reaching up to 45 miles per hour. Among the deceased were Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson, who had traveled to Unalakleet to assist with a critical heat recovery system for the local water plant, as reported by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. David Beveridge, the organization’s vice president, expressed, “The loss of these remarkable individuals and every person on that aircraft will resonate throughout Alaska.”

The pilot, Chad Antill, aged 34 and from Nome, was also among the victims, alongside others whose ages ranged between 30 and 58 years. According to Alaska State Troopers, this flight was a routine commuter service. Images released by the Coast Guard depicted the wreckage, with debris scattered across the sea ice and responders in brightly colored gear working the scene.

“It’s challenging to face the reality of our loss,” remarked Senator Lisa Murkowski during a press briefing. Nome Mayor John Handeland expressed his grief as well, stating, “Nome is a resilient community, and during tough times, we unite and support one another. I anticipate a wave of support will arise as we all begin to heal from this devastating incident.”

Departing Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m. on Thursday, the aircraft lost contact less than an hour later. Conditions included light snow and fog with temperatures around 17 degrees Fahrenheit. As indicated by the Coast Guard, the plane was reported missing approximately 30 miles southeast of Nome.

Radar data from the U.S. Civil Air Patrol indicated a critical event around 3:18 p.m., pointing to a rapid loss of altitude and speed, though further details on the cause of the incident remain uncertain. Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Benjamin McIntyre-Coble noted no distress signals were sent from the aircraft. Normally, planes are equipped with emergency locator transmitters, which should activate upon contact with water, signaling potential emergencies. However, no such alerts were received by the Coast Guard.

As search teams combed the area by helicopter, the wreckage was eventually located. The National Transportation Safety Board is deploying a team of nine experts to the crash site from different states.

In Alaska, small aircraft are frequently relied upon for transportation given the expansive landscape and sparse infrastructure. The recent crash marks the third significant aviation incident in the U.S. within a week, following the tragic collision of a commercial jet and Army helicopter that resulted in 67 fatalities, as well as a medical transportation plane crash in Philadelphia that killed six onboard and one individual on the ground.

Bering Air services various remote villages in western Alaska from hubs such as Nome, Kotzebue, and Unalakleet, with many receiving regular flights multiple times a week. “Our hearts are burdened with sorrow as we come to terms with this tragic event,” Bering Air expressed in a statement. The airline has established a dedicated line for providing information and emotional guidance to those who had loved ones on the flight and requested privacy for affected families while promising cooperation with the investigation.

Unalakleet, a small community with a population of approximately 690 residents, is located about 150 miles southeast of Nome, nestled along the historic Iditarod trail. Meanwhile, Nome, a city steeped in Gold Rush history, lies just south of the Arctic Circle and hosts the endpoint of the iconic 1,000-mile Iditarod race, attracting considerable attention each year. The city has organized prayer vigils for the victims and all those involved in the search and recovery efforts, emphasizing the community’s solidarity during this difficult time.