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ARN News Center
09-02-2025
- General
- ARN News Center
10 people killed in Alaska plane crash
The US Coast Guard in Alaska found the wreckage of a small plane atop frozen sea ice on Friday, after the aircraft suddenly lost altitude on Thursday and the crash killed all 10 people on board, officials said. Two US Coast Guard rescue swimmers who reached the wreckage could see three bodies inside, and the other seven were presumed to be inside the wreckage, Coast Guard spokesperson Mike Salerno told a press conference. "Unfortunately, it does not appear to be a survivable crash," Salerno said. Clint Johnson, chief of the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska office, told the same press conference that 10 were dead. "Unfortunately now since the wreckage has been found and 10 fatalities, it's time for us to roll up our sleeves and go to work," Johnson said. Harsh winter weather had impeded search efforts, and it may take hours or days to recover the bodies from the remote site, officials said. The wreckage was discovered 34 miles (55 km) southeast of Nome, the Coast Guard said in a post that included a picture of the wreckage in the snow and the two members of the recovery team. The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft carrying a pilot and nine adult passengers was reported missing en route from Unalakleet about 4 p.m. local time on Thursday, according to a dispatch posted on the website of the Alaska State Troopers in Nome, which is more than 500 miles (805 km) northwest of Anchorage. The plane went missing about 12 miles (19 km) offshore over the icy waters of the Norton Sound, which is part of the Bering Sea, according to the Coast Guard. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble, an officer with the Coast Guard in Alaska, has said the plane suffered a rapid loss of altitude and speed, according to radar data, but could offer no details on what may have caused that. Weather was wintry and poor in the area where the plane suddenly dropped, officials said. The plane was operated by Bering Air and was making a 150-mile trip from Unalakleet to Nome, a regularly scheduled commuter flight that traverses the Norton Sound. Family of those on board have been notified, but no names have been released. The incident comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of air safety in the United States. NTSB investigators are probing two deadly crashes in recent days: the midair collision of a passenger jet and US Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people, and a medical jet crash in Philadelphia that killed seven.
Chicago Tribune
08-02-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Missing commuter plane found crashed on Alaska sea ice and all 10 aboard died, authorities say
JUNEAU, Alaska — A small commuter plane that crashed in western Alaska on its way to the hub community of Nome was located Friday on sea ice, and all 10 people on board died, authorities said. Mike Salerno, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard, said rescuers were searching the aircraft's last known location by helicopter when they spotted the wreckage. They lowered two rescue swimmers to investigate. The Bering Air single-engine turboprop plane was traveling from Unalakleet on Thursday afternoon with nine passengers and a pilot, according to Alaska's Department of Public Safety. 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. There was light snow and fog, with a temperature of 17 degrees (minus 8.3 Celsius), according to the National Weather Service. Officials lost contact with the plane less than an hour later. The Coast Guard said it went missing about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Nome. The aircraft was 12 miles (19 kilometers) offshore, according to the Coast Guard said. It was operating at its maximum passenger capacity, according to the airline's description of the plane. Radar forensic data provided by the U.S. Civil Air Patrol indicated that about 3:18 p.m., the plane had 'some kind of event which caused them to experience a rapid loss in elevation and a rapid loss in speed,' Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble said. 'What that event is, I can't speculate to.' McIntyre-Coble said he was unaware of any distress signals from the aircraft. Planes carry an emergency locating transmitter. If exposed to seawater, the device sends a signal to a satellite, which then relays that message back to the Coast Guard to indicate an aircraft may be in distress. There have been no such messages received by the Coast Guard, he said. All 10 people on board the plane were adults, and the flight was a regularly scheduled commuter trip, according to Lt. Ben Endres of the Alaska State Troopers. Local, state and federal agencies assisted in the search effort, combing stretches of ice-dotted waters and scouring miles of frozen tundra. The plane's disappearance marks the third major U.S. 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. Most Alaska communities are not connected to the state's main road system, and airplanes are often the only option for travel of any distance in rural areas, particularly in winter. The region is prone to sudden snow squalls and high winds in the winter. 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. Two Bering Air planes appeared to be searching in a grid pattern just off the coastline Friday morning, according to the flight tracking service Flightradar24. Unalakleet is a community of about 690 people about 150 miles (about 240 kilometers) southeast of Nome and 395 miles (about 640 kilometers) northwest of Anchorage. The village is on the Iditarod trail, route of the world's most famous sled dog race, during which mushers and their teams must cross the frozen Norton Sound. 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. The city said prayer vigils would be held Friday for those on board the plane, friends and family and those involved in search efforts. Alaska's U.S. senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, issued statements saying their thoughts and prayers were with the passengers, their families, rescuers and the Nome community. U.S. Rep. Nick Begich said on the social platform X that he was ready to assist Nome and Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy 'in any way we can.'
Dubai Eye
08-02-2025
- General
- Dubai Eye
10 people killed in Alaska plane crash
The US Coast Guard in Alaska found the wreckage of a small plane atop frozen sea ice on Friday, after the aircraft suddenly lost altitude on Thursday and the crash killed all 10 people on board, officials said. Two US Coast Guard rescue swimmers who reached the wreckage could see three bodies inside, and the other seven were presumed to be inside the wreckage, Coast Guard spokesperson Mike Salerno told a press conference. "Unfortunately, it does not appear to be a survivable crash," Salerno said. Clint Johnson, chief of the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska office, told the same press conference that 10 were dead. "Unfortunately now since the wreckage has been found and 10 fatalities, it's time for us to roll up our sleeves and go to work," Johnson said. Harsh winter weather had impeded search efforts, and it may take hours or days to recover the bodies from the remote site, officials said. The wreckage was discovered 34 miles (55 km) southeast of Nome, the Coast Guard said in a post that included a picture of the wreckage in the snow and the two members of the recovery team. The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft carrying a pilot and nine adult passengers was reported missing en route from Unalakleet about 4 p.m. local time on Thursday, according to a dispatch posted on the website of the Alaska State Troopers in Nome, which is more than 500 miles (805 km) northwest of Anchorage. The plane went missing about 12 miles (19 km) offshore over the icy waters of the Norton Sound, which is part of the Bering Sea, according to the Coast Guard. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble, an officer with the Coast Guard in Alaska, has said the plane suffered a rapid loss of altitude and speed, according to radar data, but could offer no details on what may have caused that. Weather was wintry and poor in the area where the plane suddenly dropped, officials said. The plane was operated by Bering Air and was making a 150-mile trip from Unalakleet to Nome, a regularly scheduled commuter flight that traverses the Norton Sound. Family of those on board have been notified, but no names have been released. The incident comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of air safety in the United States. NTSB investigators are probing two deadly crashes in recent days: the midair collision of a passenger jet and US Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people, and a medical jet crash in Philadelphia that killed seven.
MTV Lebanon
08-02-2025
- General
- MTV Lebanon
Coast Guard finds wreckage of missing Alaska plane
The U.S. Coast Guard in Alaska found the wreckage of a small plane atop frozen sea ice on Friday, after the aircraft suddenly lost altitude on Thursday and the crash killed all 10 people on board, officials said. Two U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmers who reached the wreckage could see three bodies inside, and the other seven were presumed to be inside the wreckage, Coast Guard spokesperson Mike Salerno told a press conference. "Unfortunately, it does not appear to be a survivable crash," Salerno said. Clint Johnson, chief of the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska office, told the same press conference that 10 were dead . "Unfortunately now since the wreckage has been found and 10 fatalities, it's time for us to roll up our sleeves and go to work," Johnson said. Harsh winter weather had impeded search efforts, and it may take hours or days to recover the bodies from the remote site, officials said. The wreckage was discovered 34 miles (55 km) southeast of Nome, the Coast Guard said in a post that included a picture of the wreckage in the snow and the two members of the recovery team. The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft carrying a pilot and nine adult passengers was reported missing en route from Unalakleet about 4 p.m. local time on Thursday, according to a dispatch posted on the website of the Alaska State Troopers in Nome, which is more than 500 miles (805 km) northwest of Anchorage. The plane went missing about 12 miles (19 km) offshore over the icy waters of the Norton Sound, which is part of the Bering Sea, according to the Coast Guard. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble, an officer with the Coast Guard in Alaska, has said the plane suffered a rapid loss of altitude and speed, according to radar data, but could offer no details on what may have caused that. Weather was wintry and poor in the area where the plane suddenly dropped, officials said. The plane was operated by Bering Air and was making a 150-mile trip from Unalakleet to Nome, a regularly scheduled commuter flight that traverses the Norton Sound. Family of those on board have been notified, but no names have been released. The incident comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of air safety in the United States. NTSB investigators are probing two deadly crashes in recent days: the midair collision of a passenger jet and U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people, and a medical jet crash in Philadelphia that killed seven.
Observer
08-02-2025
- General
- Observer
Wreckage of Alaska plane found, all 10 onboard killed
The U.S. Coast Guard in Alaska found the wreckage of a small plane atop frozen sea ice on Friday after the aircraft suddenly lost altitude on Thursday and the crash killed all 10 people on board, officials said. Two U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmers who reached the wreckage could see three bodies inside, and the other seven were presumed to be inside the wreckage, Coast Guard spokesperson Mike Salerno told a press conference. "Unfortunately, it does not appear to be a survivable crash," Salerno said. Clint Johnson, chief of the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska office, told the same press conference that 10 were dead. "Unfortunately now since the wreckage has been found and 10 fatalities, it's time for us to roll up our sleeves and go to work," Johnson said. Harsh winter weather had impeded search efforts, and it may take hours or days to recover the bodies from the remote site, officials said. The wreckage was discovered 34 miles (55 km) southeast of Nome, the Coast Guard said in a post that included a picture of the wreckage in the snow and the two members of the recovery team. The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft carrying a pilot and nine adult passengers were reported missing en route from Unalakleet about 4 p.m. local time on Thursday, according to a dispatch posted on the website of the Alaska State Troopers in Nome, which is more than 500 miles (805 km) northwest of Anchorage. According to the Coast Guard, the plane went missing about 12 miles (19 km) offshore over the icy waters of the Norton Sound, which is part of the Bering Sea. According to radar data, Benjamin McIntyre-Coble, an officer with the Coast Guard in Alaska, has said the plane suffered a rapid loss of altitude and speed but could offer no details on what may have caused that. Weather was wintry and poor in the area where the plane suddenly dropped, officials said. The plane was operated by Bering Air and was making a 150-mile trip from Unalakleet to Nome, a regularly scheduled commuter flight that traverses the Norton Sound. Family of those on board have been notified, but no names have been released. The incident comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of air safety in the United States. NTSB investigators are probing two deadly crashes in recent days: the midair collision of a passenger jet and U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people, and a medical jet crash in Philadelphia that killed seven.
