Wreckage of missing Alaska plane with 10 aboard finally located – Photo and details

A Berlin Air aircraft, carrying ten individuals, disappeared from radar while traversing the Alaskan wilderness and did not arrive at its intended destination.

After a thorough search effort, the wreckage of the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan was discovered on sea ice on Friday afternoon (local time) by a US Coast Guard helicopter team in Alaska. The flight was en route from Unalakleet, a small town in western Alaska, to Nome, situated south of the Arctic Circle, at approximately 2:37 p.m. The journey was expected to take about an hour. However, while crossing Norton Sound, the aircraft lost contact at an altitude of 5,300 feet.

The Coast Guard announced on X, “USCG has concluded its search for the missing plane after the aircraft was found approximately 34 miles southeast of Nome. Three individuals were located inside and are reported deceased. The remaining seven individuals are believed to be within the aircraft but are currently unreachable due to the wreckage’s condition. Our deepest sympathies are extended to those impacted by this tragic event.”

During a press conference on Friday, USCG Lieutenant Commander Ben McIntyre-Coble stated that the plane experienced a rapid loss of altitude and speed due to “some kind of event.” The precise cause of the crash remains undetermined. “We are currently operating under the assumption that there are still individuals who may be assisted by the United States Coast Guard,” he remarked.

“We continue to maintain aerial support and are closely coordinating with local authorities, including the Alaska State Troopers, to potentially provide assistance on the ice to any individuals who may be located. However, at this moment, we are still treating this as an active search and rescue operation, and we have no immediate plans to alter the status of the case in the near future.” Subsequently, the US Coast Guard issued a press release stating, “The Coast Guard has assessed that the severity of the wreckage exceeds the possibility of survival.”
Sympathy has been expressed widely, including by Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, who took to social media to comment on the tragic loss.

“Rose and I are deeply saddened by the loss of the ten individuals aboard the Bering Air flight,” Dunleavy stated on X. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends, and communities affected by this tragedy.”

This incident follows two significant plane crashes that occurred within the past two weeks. One involved a mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter, resulting in the deaths of all 67 individuals on board. The other crash involved a medical jet en route from the United States to Mexico, which was carrying a mother and daughter who had received critical medical treatment in the US, along with a doctor, a paramedic, and two pilots.

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