|
Listen to article
|
The wreckage of a small plane that vanished in Alaska on Thursday has been located, the U.S. Coast Guard announced, confirming three deaths. Officials suspect that seven additional victims remain inside the aircraft, though difficult terrain and the plane’s condition have complicated immediate retrieval efforts.
A routine Bering Air flight turned tragic when the Cessna Caravan carrying ten individuals lost contact 12 miles (19 km) offshore on Thursday. The U.S. Coast Guard eventually located the downed aircraft 34 miles southeast of Nome, where it was scheduled to land after departing Unalakleet.
“Say a prayer tonight for the 10 souls who lost their lives on the Bering Air flight in Alaska,” US Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said.
Duffy confirmed that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is conducting a full investigation into the crash. The Alaska State Troopers added that they received a report of an “overdue” aircraft at 4:00 p.m. local time on Thursday (01:00 GMT).
The Nome Volunteer Fire Department reported that the pilot had informed air traffic controllers of his intention to enter a holding pattern while awaiting clearance for landing. However, according to the Coast Guard, the aircraft soon experienced a sudden and sharp decline in both altitude and speed before disappearing from radar.
Details of who was on board have not been released but the Nome Volunteer Fire Department said all families of the passengers have been notified. The 10 people on board comprised of nine passengers and a pilot, the Alaska Department of Public Safety said.
Read also: Russia To Identify Those Responsible For Plane Crash – Azerbaijan
Air search and rescue operations had been limited by difficult weather conditions, which hampered visibility, multiple parties involved in rescue efforts said. Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski shared her condolences online following the incident.
“Alaska is a big small town. When tragedy strikes, we’re never far removed from the Alaskans directly impacted,” Murkowski said.
Alaska’s Governor, Mike Dunleavy, said he was “heartbroken” by the disappearance of the flight.
“Our prayers are with the passengers, the pilot, and their loved ones during this difficult time,” he said. The two cities of Unakleet and Nome are some 146 miles from each other across the Norton Sound, an inlet of the Bering Sea on Alaska’s western coast.
