Authorities have confirmed that a plane carrying ten people has gone missing in Alaska.
The Bering Air Caravan flight, which was traveling from Unalakleet to Nome, was reported overdue around 4 p.m. local time on Thursday, February 6, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety (DPS).
The aircraft, carrying nine passengers and one pilot, took off from Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m., as confirmed by Bering Air’s Director of Operations, David Olson. Local news outlet KTUU reported the flight details.
The Nome Volunteer Fire Department acknowledged the situation on Facebook, saying, “We are actively responding to a report of a missing Bering Air Caravan.”
Search efforts are underway, with ground teams in Nome and White Mountain participating. However, poor weather conditions are hampering aerial searches. Authorities, including the National Guard, Coast Guard, and state troopers, have been notified and are providing assistance, while the Norton Sound Health Corporation is standing by to offer support.
The public has been asked to keep those on board in their thoughts, with the authorities warning against independent search efforts due to safety concerns. Families looking for support are advised to contact the Norton Sound Health Corporation.
The plane’s pilot had communicated with Anchorage Air Traffic Control, planning to enter a holding pattern while waiting for runway clearance. Meanwhile, a C-130 Coast Guard aircraft is set to conduct an aerial survey of the area.
The fire department later updated that the C-130 had arrived in Nome but would continue its search by flying a grid pattern over the shoreline and surrounding waters. The aircraft is equipped with advanced search-and-rescue technology capable of detecting individuals or objects even in low-visibility conditions.
A post from the U.S. Coast Guard’s Alaska region on X (formerly Twitter) indicated that the plane was approximately 12 miles offshore when it lost contact during its flight from Unalakleet to Nome.
Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 reported that the last known location of the plane was at an altitude of 5,300 feet around 3:16 p.m. The platform also noted that the typical flight duration is around 47 minutes.
White Mountain Fire Chief Jack Adams told KTUU that the plane had disappeared from radar between Nome and Topkok, prompting a search over a 30-mile area.
“Our crews are ready to continue searching through the night if needed,” said Adams. “We’ll keep going until we find the plane or until someone else locates it. If we find no signs, we’ll likely organize more search teams.”
Adams mentioned that the ice conditions in the area appeared “jumbled” and expressed hope that the plane had landed on solid ground rather than in the water, which would be the worst-case scenario.
Visibility conditions in the area were described as extremely poor, with all aircraft grounded. “Right now, visibility is zero—you can’t see anything from the air or the ground,” Adams explained. “Searching in total darkness with no visibility makes this an incredibly difficult mission.”
Authorities are still working to obtain additional details from Bering Air and the Alaska Department of Public Safety. No further information has been released at the time of reporting.
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