The U.S. Coast Guard said Friday, February 7, 2025, that the wreckage of a plane that vanished Thursday afternoon was found on Alaskan sea ice. The Bering Air aircraft was traveling from Unalakleet to Nome in western Alaska with nine passengers and a pilot. Regretfully, no one survived the alleged collision.
Ten people were on board the single-engine turboprop, but none of them survived, the Coast Guard confirmed to Anchorage Daily News.
About 12 miles offshore is where the plane was last seen.
The U.S. Air Force, Coast Guard, and National Guard stepped up search and rescue efforts. Aerial grid searches were conducted over the ice-covered waters, and ground searches were conducted inland and along the coastline.
FBI officers joined the search and assisted in locating the aircraft by using passenger cellphone tracking data.
When a “item of interest” was found, search crews started to move in that direction.
The plane was discovered about 34 miles southeast of Nome.
Around 38 minutes after leaving Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m., the aircraft lost radio contact.
Ten minutes prior to its anticipated arrival in Nome, at 3:16 p.m. local time, the aircraft’s last position was recorded.
According to radar forensic analysis, the aircraft encountered an incident that resulted in a sudden loss of speed and elevation at approximately 3:18 p.m.
In order to wait for runway clearance, the pilot had informed Anchorage air traffic control that he intended to go into a holding pattern.
On Thursday night, there was mist, freezing drizzle, and light snowfall in the area of Nome Airport.
The Coast Guard has wrapped up its search and sent their sincerest condolences to everyone affected by this tragic incident.
