A search is underway for a Bering Air flight that vanished over Alaska’s Norton Sound on Thursday (February 6). The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, carrying nine passengers and a pilot, was traveling from Unalakleet to Nome when it disappeared. The aircraft was last seen about 12 miles offshore, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Alaska State Troopers were alerted at 4 p.m. local time about the missing plane. The Nome Volunteer Fire Department is conducting ground searches, but poor weather conditions have limited air search efforts. The U.S. Coast Guard and Air Force are assisting with the search, deploying aircraft equipped with specialized search and rescue equipment.
Weather conditions in the area have been challenging, with light snow, freezing drizzle, and wind gusts up to 35 mph. Visibility was reduced to half a mile at times, complicating search efforts. CNN aviation analyst Miles O’Brien noted that ice on the wings could degrade the aircraft’s performance, potentially leading to a stall.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a Search and Rescue Alert Notice shortly after the plane’s disappearance. The FBI is also involved, using technical resources to geolocate the cell phones of the passengers. Bering Air, which operates in western Alaska, is working to gather details and coordinate search efforts.
The incident marks the third major aviation incident in the U.S. in eight days. Alaska’s U.S. senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, expressed their thoughts and prayers for those involved.
The search continues, with updates expected as conditions allow.
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