A plane carrying 10 people that disappeared mid-flight in rural Alaska during a dangerous winter storm has been found, alongside three bodies, authorities have confirmed.
On Friday, shortly after 2 p.m. local time the U.S. Coast Guard announced the aircraft had been found approximately 34 miles southeast of Nome in the west of the state, and that there were no survivors of the crash.
“Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic incident,” the USCG said.
Authorities previously said Bering Air Flight 455 suffered “some kind of event” before that caused it to “rapidly lose altitude and speed.”
Authorities had been scouring the ground for survivors in “zero visibility conditions,” while warning the public against embarking on private rescue missions since the aircraft was reported missing just before 4 p.m. local time on Thursday.
The plane took off from Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m. before losing contact with the air traffic control tower less than an hour later, according to Bering Air’s director of operations, David Olson. It was about 12 miles offshore flying over the Norton Sound – about 10 minutes before its scheduled arrival in Nome.
All missings have been presumed dead and all families of passengers have been notified, the fire department said Friday.
Independent | UK
