A Berlin Air flight carrying 10 passengers disappeared from radar while soaring over Alaska’s remote wilderness, never making it to its intended destination.
After an extensive search effort, a US Coast Guard helicopter crew finally discovered the wreckage of the aircraft—a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan—on sea ice Friday afternoon (local time) in Alaska, US.
The plane had departed from the small town of Unalakleet in western Alaska, bound for Nome, a city just south of the Arctic Circle. Taking off at 2:37 p.m., the flight was expected to take roughly an hour. However, while crossing Norton Sound, it lost communication at an altitude of 5,300 feet.
#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
The Coast Guard announced on X that their search efforts had concluded after the missing plane was found approximately 34 miles southeast of Nome. “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.
“The remaining 7 people are believed to be inside the aircraft but are currently inaccessible due to the condition of the plane. Our heartfelt condolences are with those affected by this tragic incident.”
During a press conference on Friday, USCG Lieutenant Commander Ben McIntyre-Coble stated that the aircraft experienced a sudden drop in altitude and speed due to “some kind of event.” However, the exact cause of the crash has yet to be determined.
“We are operating under the assumption right now that there are still people who are in a position to be assisted by the United States Coast Guard,” he said.
He emphasized that the search efforts were still ongoing: “We continue to have air assets overhead and are in close coordination with the with the local authorities, including the Alaska State Troopers, to provide potentially on-the-ice assistance to any persons who might be found.”
At this stage, the focus remains on rescue operations. “But at this time we are still considering that this is an active search and rescue case, and we have no immediate intentions to change the status of the case in the near term.”
#RESCUE (1/2) U.S. Coast Guard District 17 responded to an aircraft emergency notification from Alaska Rescue Coordination Center at 4:30 p.m. today for a Cessna Caravan that reported to have 10 people aboard.
— USCGAlaska (@USCGAlaska) February 7, 2025
Later, the U.S. Coast Guard issued a statement confirming the devastating news:
“The Coast Guard determined the severity of the wreckage was beyond the possibility of survival.”
Messages of condolence quickly followed, including from Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, who shared his sorrow on social media.
“Rose and I are heartbroken by the loss of the 10 people on the Bering Air flight,” Dunleavy posted on X. “Our prayers are with the families, friends, and communities mourning this tragedy.”
Rose and I are heartbroken by the loss of the 10 people on the Bering Air flight. Our prayers are with the families, friends, and communities mourning this tragedy.
We are grateful to the search teams who worked tirelessly to locate the aircraft. I ask all Alaskans to keep those…
— Governor Mike Dunleavy (@GovDunleavy) February 8, 2025
The Alaska plane crash comes on the heels of two other major aviation disasters in just the past two weeks.
In one tragic incident, an American Airlines aircraft and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided mid-air, resulting in the deaths of all 67 people on board.
In another devastating crash, a medical jet traveling from the U.S. to Mexico went down. The plane was carrying a mother and her daughter, who had just undergone critical medical treatment in the U.S., along with a doctor, a paramedic, and two pilots.
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