Here's what we know about a commuter plane crash in Alaska that killed 10 people
Authorities are focusing on the wreckage of a plane that crashed off western Alaska as they try to determine what caused the small commuter aircraft to go down in the icy Bering Sea, killing 10 people.
The single-engine turboprop plane was traveling from Unalakleet to the hub community of Nome when it disappeared Thursday afternoon. Crews on Saturday succeeded in recovering the remains of those killed in the Bering Air crash from a drifting ice floe before the anticipated onset of high winds and snow. By the end of the day, the wreckage was taken by helicopter to a hangar in Nome.
The plane was reported missing near Nome. Officials said contact with the Cessna Caravan was lost less than an hour after it left Unalakleet on Thursday. Authorities said the flight was a regularly scheduled commuter trip, and the aircraft went missing about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Nome. The wreckage was found Friday by rescuers who were searching by helicopter. Local, state, and federal agencies scoured large stretches of icy waters and miles (kilometers) of frozen tundra before finding the plane. Nine passengers and the pilot were killed. Unalakleet is a community of about 690 people about 150 miles (about 240 kilometers) southeast of Nome and some 395 miles (640 kilometers) northwest of Anchorage. The village is on the Iditarod Trail route of the world's most famous sled dog race. Nome is just south of the Arctic Circle and is known as the ending point of the 1,000-mile (1,610-kilometer) Iditarod.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. Radar data provided by the US Civil Air Patrol indicated the plane rapidly lost elevation and speed, but it is unclear why that happened, according to the US Coast Guard. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble said he was unaware of any distress signals from the aircraft. If a plane is exposed to seawater, an emergency locating transmitter sends a signal to a satellite, which then relays that message to the Coast Guard. No such messages were received by the Coast Guard. National Transportation Safety Board's Jennifer Homendy said Sunday that the plane was flying in an area where moderate icing was possible between 2,000 feet (610 meters) and 8,000 feet (2,438 meters) and where the weather could be hazardous to light aircraft. However, she said the plane, which was last spotted on radar at 3,400 feet (1,036 meters), had an anti-icing system on its wings and tail, which will be examined as part of the investigation. She stressed that investigators were not leaning toward any cause for the crash at this point. 'Right now, it's really a focus on the wreckage, and we'll see where that takes us,' she said.
Flying is an important mode of transportation in the largest US state. Alaska's vast landscape and limited infrastructure make traveling by plane commonplace. Most communities are not connected to the developed road system that serves the state's most populous region. Some high school teams fly to sporting events against rival high schools, and goods are brought to many communities by barge or by air.
Who was on the plane? Authorities on Saturday identified the crash victims, who ranged in age from the 34-year-old Nome-based pilot to a 58-year-old passenger, also a resident of Nome. Also among those killed were Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson of Anchorage, ages 46 and 41, respectively. They had traveled to Unalakleet to service a heat-recovery system vital to the community's water plant, according to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. Talaluk Katchatag, 34, of Unalakleet was also among those lost. Known as TK, he was described by his older sister in an online fundraiser as a 'soft-spoken and strong man who was wise beyond his years. His soul was genuine and he lived life so matter-of-factly,' AyyuSue Katchatag wrote of her brother. The flight operator, Bering Air, said it had set up telephone hotlines staffed with specialists to provide emotional support and updates to people who had loved ones on the flight. 'At this time, our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected by this tragedy,' the company said on its website. 'We recognize the profound loss this has caused, and we want to extend our sincerest condolences to everyone impacted.'
Other recent US plane crashes are also under investigation. The Alaska plane's crash marks the third major US aviation mishap in eight days. A commercial jetliner and an Army helicopter collided near the nation's capital on Jan. 29, killing 67 people. A medical transportation plane crashed in Philadelphia on Jan. 31, killing the six people on board and another person on the ground.
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Al Arabiya
10-02-2025
- Al Arabiya
Here's what we know about a commuter plane crash in Alaska that killed 10 people
Authorities are focusing on the wreckage of a plane that crashed off western Alaska as they try to determine what caused the small commuter aircraft to go down in the icy Bering Sea, killing 10 people. The single-engine turboprop plane was traveling from Unalakleet to the hub community of Nome when it disappeared Thursday afternoon. Crews on Saturday succeeded in recovering the remains of those killed in the Bering Air crash from a drifting ice floe before the anticipated onset of high winds and snow. By the end of the day, the wreckage was taken by helicopter to a hangar in Nome. The plane was reported missing near Nome. Officials said contact with the Cessna Caravan was lost less than an hour after it left Unalakleet on Thursday. Authorities said the flight was a regularly scheduled commuter trip, and the aircraft went missing about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Nome. The wreckage was found Friday by rescuers who were searching by helicopter. Local, state, and federal agencies scoured large stretches of icy waters and miles (kilometers) of frozen tundra before finding the plane. Nine passengers and the pilot were killed. Unalakleet is a community of about 690 people about 150 miles (about 240 kilometers) southeast of Nome and some 395 miles (640 kilometers) northwest of Anchorage. The village is on the Iditarod Trail route of the world's most famous sled dog race. Nome is just south of the Arctic Circle and is known as the ending point of the 1,000-mile (1,610-kilometer) Iditarod. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Radar data provided by the US Civil Air Patrol indicated the plane rapidly lost elevation and speed, but it is unclear why that happened, according to the US Coast Guard. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble said he was unaware of any distress signals from the aircraft. If a plane is exposed to seawater, an emergency locating transmitter sends a signal to a satellite, which then relays that message to the Coast Guard. No such messages were received by the Coast Guard. National Transportation Safety Board's Jennifer Homendy said Sunday that the plane was flying in an area where moderate icing was possible between 2,000 feet (610 meters) and 8,000 feet (2,438 meters) and where the weather could be hazardous to light aircraft. However, she said the plane, which was last spotted on radar at 3,400 feet (1,036 meters), had an anti-icing system on its wings and tail, which will be examined as part of the investigation. She stressed that investigators were not leaning toward any cause for the crash at this point. 'Right now, it's really a focus on the wreckage, and we'll see where that takes us,' she said. Flying is an important mode of transportation in the largest US state. Alaska's vast landscape and limited infrastructure make traveling by plane commonplace. Most communities are not connected to the developed road system that serves the state's most populous region. Some high school teams fly to sporting events against rival high schools, and goods are brought to many communities by barge or by air. Who was on the plane? Authorities on Saturday identified the crash victims, who ranged in age from the 34-year-old Nome-based pilot to a 58-year-old passenger, also a resident of Nome. Also among those killed were Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson of Anchorage, ages 46 and 41, respectively. They had traveled to Unalakleet to service a heat-recovery system vital to the community's water plant, according to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. Talaluk Katchatag, 34, of Unalakleet was also among those lost. Known as TK, he was described by his older sister in an online fundraiser as a 'soft-spoken and strong man who was wise beyond his years. His soul was genuine and he lived life so matter-of-factly,' AyyuSue Katchatag wrote of her brother. The flight operator, Bering Air, said it had set up telephone hotlines staffed with specialists to provide emotional support and updates to people who had loved ones on the flight. 'At this time, our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected by this tragedy,' the company said on its website. 'We recognize the profound loss this has caused, and we want to extend our sincerest condolences to everyone impacted.' Other recent US plane crashes are also under investigation. The Alaska plane's crash marks the third major US aviation mishap in eight days. A commercial jetliner and an Army helicopter collided near the nation's capital on Jan. 29, killing 67 people. A medical transportation plane crashed in Philadelphia on Jan. 31, killing the six people on board and another person on the ground.
Asharq Al-Awsat
09-02-2025
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Remains of All 10 People Killed in Alaska Plane Crash Recovered
The remains of all 10 people killed when their small plane crashed into ice on the Bering Sea have been recovered, authorities said. The Nome Volunteer Fire Department made the announcement on its Facebook page Saturday afternoon. Recovery crews had been racing to recover the bodies before a winter storm was expected to hit the region. 'All ten individuals aboard the Bering Air plane have been officially brought home,' the fire department wrote in the social media post at about 3 p.m. Crews were still working on recovering the aircraft, the fire department said. The Bering Air single-engine turboprop plane was traveling from Unalakleet to the hub community of Nome when it disappeared Thursday afternoon. It was found the next day after an extensive search with all nine passengers and the pilot dead, making it one of the deadliest plane crashes in the state in 25 years. The aircraft is on an ice floe that is drifting about 5 miles (8 kilometers) a day, creating difficult conditions for recovery crews, The Associated Press quoted National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy as saying during a press conference Saturday afternoon. 'Please know that we'll work diligently to determine how this happened with the ultimate goal of improving safety in Alaska and across the United States,' said Homendy. As the community tried to process the deadly event, crews worked swiftly on unstable, slushy sea ice to recover the bodies and the wreckage. The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory, with snow and winds up to 45 miles per hour (72 kilometers per hour) expected to hit the region Saturday night, lasting into Sunday evening. Among those killed in the crash were Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson. They had traveled to Unalakleet to service a heat recovery system vital to the community's water plant, according to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. "The loss of these two incredible individuals and everyone else on board the plane will be felt all over Alaska,' David Beveridge, vice president of environmental health and engineering for the organization, said in a statement. The pilot, 34-year-old Chad Antill of Nome, was also killed. The other victims ranged in age from 30 to 58 years old. The flight was a regularly scheduled commuter trip, according to Lt. Ben Endres of the Alaska State Troopers. A photo provided by the Coast Guard showed the plane's splintered body and debris lying on the sea ice. Two people in brightly colored emergency gear circled the wreckage.
Asharq Al-Awsat
07-02-2025
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Crews Search for Missing Alaska Plane with 10 Onboard
An aircraft carrying 10 people went missing in rural Alaska on Thursday during dangerous winter weather, and crews scoured the ground for any sign of them. The Bering Air Caravan was reported missing at about 4 p.m. while en route from Unalakleet to Nome with nine passengers and a pilot, according to Alaska's Department of Public Safety. Authorities were working to determine its last known coordinates, The Associated Press reported. Unalakleet is a community of about 690 people in western Alaska, about 150 miles (about 240 kilometers) southeast of Nome and 395 miles (about 640 kilometers) northwest of Anchorage. The Cessna Caravan left Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m., and officials lost contact with it less than an hour later, according to David Olson, director of operations for Bering Air. The aircraft was 12 miles (about 19 kilometers) offshore, according to the US Coast Guard. 'Staff at Bering Air is working hard to gather details, get emergency assistance, search and rescue going,' Olson said. Bering Air serves 32 villages in Western Alaska from hubs in Nome, Kotzebue and Unalakleet. Most destinations receive twice-daily scheduled flights Monday through Saturday. The Nome Volunteer Fire Department said in a statement on social media that it was conducting a ground search from Nome and White Mountain. 'Due to weather and visibility, we are limited on air search at the current time,' it said. People were told not to form their own search parties because the weather was too dangerous. The National Guard, the Coast Guard and troopers were also helping with the search, according to the fire department. A Federal Aviation Administration weather camera near Nome appeared to show near-whiteout conditions over several hours Thursday afternoon, according to Alaska's News Source The names of the people onboard were not yet being released. Nome, a Gold Rush town, is just south of the Arctic Circle and is known as the ending point of the 1,000-mile (1,610-kilometer) Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
