Rescue teams in Alaska were desperately searching over land and ocean Friday after a small passenger plane with 10 people on board went missing as it traveled along the state’s western coast, authorities said.
The turboprop Cessna Caravan operated by Bering Air was reported missing Thursday around 4 p.m. local time, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety. Carrying nine passengers and a pilot, the plane was flying from Unalakleet, Alaska, to Nome when its position was lost 12 miles offshore, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Before the plane was reported missing, the Nome Volunteer Fire Department said the pilot had told Anchorage Air Traffic Control that “he intended to enter a holding pattern while waiting for the runway to be cleared.”
The fire department said crews were conducting ground searches along the state’s western coast, from Nome to Topkok, adding that air searches were hampered by poor weather and low visibility. The National Guard was assisting in the efforts and a U.S. Coast Guard flight crew began searching the plane’s last known location.
The incident comes as U.S. air travel and aviation faces increased scrutiny following the collision of a passenger plane and a military helicopter outside Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people and the fatal crash of a Medevac jet in Philadelphia that killed seven people and injured more than 20 others.
Hours into the search, authorities have ‘found nothing’
The Nome Volunteer Fire Department said in a Facebook post early Friday morning that crews were still searching on the ground and canvassing as much area as possible.
“The National Guard C-130 reported they found nothing found so far,” read the statement, posted just after midnight, local time. The department added that the Air Force so far has “reported no visuals” and had “one hour of flight search time remaining.”
The department said, “If nothing further is reported, the next update will be at 9 a.m.”
‘We ask the public to please think of those who may be missing’
The Nome Volunteer Fire Department has asked the public not to form individual search parties, citing poor weather conditions and safety concerns.
“We ask the public to please think of those who may be missing at this time,” the fire department said. “Families are encouraged to seek support at Norton Sound Health Corporation.”
Alaska U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan said in a statement that he was monitoring the search for the missing plane and was praying for those affected.
“We are hearing reports of a possible missing plane en route to Nome. Our thoughts and prayers are with the passengers, their families and the rescue crew.”
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said in a post on X, “Our prayers are with all those on the plane missing out of western Alaska, the Bering Air family, and the entire community of Nome.”
Disproportionate number of plane accidents occur in Alaska
According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, a disproportionate number of air taxi and commuter plane accidents occur in Alaska compared to other U.S. states.
Alaska is known for its mountainous terrain and challenging weather. Many Alaskan villages are not connected by roads, meaning small planes are generally used to transport people and goods.
Bering Air is an Alaska-based regional airline that operates around 39 planes and helicopters, according to data from flight tracking website FlightRadar24. Earlier Thursday night, the fire department said the Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage was also sending flight support.
Latest aviation incident in the U.S.
Thursday’s incident is the latest aviation incident to occur in the U.S. in recent weeks, including two fatal crashes in late January. Several other incidents have recently occurred at major airports in Chicago, Seattle, and Houston, USA TODAY previously reported.
On Saturday, an airport worker was critically injured after a passenger plane hit a tug at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The following day, a United Airlines flight from Houston to New York City was evacuated after an engine issue was reported.
On Wednesday morning, a parked Delta Air Lines plane was struck by a taxiing Japan Airlines plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. No injuries were reported in the incident.
On Jan. 29, an American Airlines passenger plane and an Army helicopter collided near Washington, D.C., killing 67 people in the deadliest air disaster in more than two decades. Just days later, a Medevac jet crashed into a busy neighborhood in Philadelphia, killing seven people and injuring over 20 others.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
Contributing: Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Search underway in Alaska for missing plane with 10 aboard: Updates
