Missing Alaska Plane Found; Authorities Say There Are No Survivors

Authorities said on Friday that there are no survivors after finding a Bering Air Cessna Caravan with 10 people on board that crashed on sea ice after going missing over the Norton Sound in Alaska on Thursday.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, rescuers looking for the missing aircraft spotted the wreckage from a helicopter, the Associated Press reported. The Cessna Caravan, which is a single-engine propeller plane, left Unalakleet, Alaska, at 2:37 p.m. local time and was supposed to land in Nome, Alaska, which is a short flight across the Norton Sound. At around 4:00 p.m., Alaska State troopers received word around 4:00 p.m. that the plane was overdue, and authorities began search operations.

The Coast Guard said that at 3:18, the airplane had “some kind of event which caused them to experience a rapid loss in elevation and a rapid loss in speed.” Visibility was poor at the time of the crash as the area experienced light snow and fog.

All 10 people onboard the flight, which included nine passengers and one pilot, were adults, Lt. Ben Endres of the Alaska State Troopers said, according to the AP. Bering Air is based in Nome and operates passenger and charter airline services. Since the sea ice is unstable, authorities are trying to move fast to recover the bodies and any parts of the plane that will aid officials in their investigation into the crash.

#UPDATE (1/2) #USCG has ended its search for the missing plane after the aircraft was located approx. 34 miles southeast of Nome. 3 individuals were found inside and reported to be deceased. pic.twitter.com/XndzBYHdCE

— USCGAlaska (@USCGAlaska) February 8, 2025

“They are on the ice as we speak,” said Nome Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jim West. “The conditions out there are dynamic, and so we’ve got to do it safely and the fastest way we can.”

Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski addressed the crash during a press conference, saying, “It’s hard to accept the reality of our loss.” Nome Mayor John Handeland added, “Nome is a strong community, and in challenging times we come together and support each other. I expect the outpouring of support to continue in the coming days as we all work to recover from this tragic incident.”

The crash is the third on U.S. soil in 2025. Last month, an Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three service members collided with an American Eagle flight that had 64 people on board. The crash sent both aircraft into the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., killing all 67 people involved. Days later, a medical jet carrying a pediatric patient crashed in north Philadelphia, killing all six people on board and one person on the ground and injuring more than 20 others.