Crews are actively working to recover the bodies of ten individuals who lost their lives in a plane crash in Alaska. The National Transportation Safety Board is currently in the early stages of investigating the incident. The Cessna Grand Caravan, operated by Bering Air, was en route from Unalakleet to Nome when it lost radar contact. On board were nine passengers and a pilot, all of whom are now confirmed dead after the plane went down in Norton Sound, approximately 34 miles southeast of Nome.
Among the deceased were two employees from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, who were in Unalakleet to conduct maintenance on a water plant. Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, reported that nine investigators are present at the crash site, supported by specialists in Washington, D.C. "The priority is victim recovery," she stated during a news conference.
Recovery efforts have been complicated by worsening weather conditions, with wreckage located on an ice floe that is moving at five miles per day. The US Coast Guard confirmed they were alerted about an overdue aircraft on Thursday afternoon. Eyewitness accounts indicated low visibility during the time of the crash, and the pilot had reportedly mentioned entering a holding pattern before contact was lost.
Alaska's Senator Lisa Murkowski expressed her condolences on social media, noting how interconnected the Alaskan community is. Additionally, Governor Mike Dunleavy expressed heartbreak over the tragedy, sending prayers to the affected families. The relationship between Unakleet and Nome is approximately 150 miles across Norton Sound, which connects to the Bering Sea.
