Source: James D. Morgan / Getty
Rescuers are searching for a plane that went missing in Alaska’s Norton Sound with 10 people on board, according to Alaska’s News Source.
The Bering Air Caravan disappeared while traveling from Unalakleet to Nome, and authorities are working to determine its last known coordinates.
White Mountain Fire Chief Jack Adams told Alaska’s News Source that the plane vanished from radar along the coast between Nome and Topkok. He added that crews are actively searching a 30-mile stretch in the area.
“They’re prepared to be out all night, they will search here until they find them or somebody else finds them,” Adams said. “If they don’t find anything, we’ll probably rally another crew to go and help.”
Adams noted that the sea ice is “kind of jumbled” and difficult to navigate, so ground crews are using the Iditarod Trail for their search efforts.
“We’re hoping [the plane] is on land, being in the water would be the worst-case scenario,” he said.
This incident is the third major aviation incident in the US in eight days.
Ground crews are searching along the coast, and the US Coast Guard is expected to search the missing aircraft’s last known position. The names of the people on board have not been released, and the search is ongoing in challenging weather conditions.