A Cessna plane carrying 10 people has gone missing in Alaska, local and state officials said.
The plane, operated by Bering Air, was en route from Unalakleet to Nome, two separate cities in western Alaska, according to Alaska state officials.
The state police agency was notified at 4 p.m. Thursday of a “delayed aircraft” that had gone missing with nine passengers and the pilot on board, according to a message posted on its website.
The Nome Volunteer Fire Department said on Facebook that it was conducting an active ground search in Nome and White Mountain, but was limited to aerial searches due to poor weather and visibility. The U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Air Force have been called to the scene, and flights are being planned to sweep the area and try to locate the missing aircraft, the department said.
“The exact location of the aircraft is still unknown. We are continuing to expand our search to as many avenues as possible until the aircraft is located,” the fire department wrote. It urged the public not to form their own search parties due to weather and safety concerns.
Since Thursday evening, light snow and freezing rain have been falling around the Nome airport; visibility was significantly reduced at one point, with strong gusts of wind forecast for the night.
According to flight tracking data from FlightRadar 24, the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan was last seen over Norton Sound at around 3:16 p.m. local time.
Flight tracking also showed a Coast Guard HC-130 flying near the plane’s last known location Thursday evening, and the fire department said it was carrying “specialized search and rescue equipment that allows them to locate objects and people in low-visibility conditions.”
Local hospitals are preparing for any possible response, and Norton Sound Health Corporation said it is “ready to respond to a medical emergency in the community.” Norton Sound Regional Hospital has also set up a family center for loved ones of the passengers to gather while they await news.
