All 10 People aboard Missing Plane in Alaska Found Dead After Crash on Sea Ice

A small commuter plane that went missing Thursday afternoon in western Alaska has been found crashed on sea ice, and tragically, all 10 people on board have been confirmed dead, authorities said. The aircraft, a single-engine Cessna Caravan operated by Bering Air, was en route from Unalakleet to Nome when it lost contact with air traffic control.

Rescue teams from the U.S. Coast Guard had been searching the plane’s last known location when they spotted the wreckage. Two rescue swimmers were lowered from a helicopter to investigate, but sadly, there were no survivors.

The plane had left Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m. with nine passengers and a pilot. The search effort was complicated by light snow, fog, and temperatures hovering around 17°F (minus 8.3°C), which made visibility difficult. The crash site was located about 30 miles southeast of Nome, approximately 12 miles offshore.

Mike Salerno, a spokesperson for the Coast Guard, expressed the team’s sorrow over the loss of life. The incident has devastated the local community, and the families of those on board are now facing an unimaginable loss.