A Berlin Air plane flying over the wilderness of Alaska vanished from radar with 10 people on board and failed to reach its final destination.
Following intensive search, the wreckage of the aircraft, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, was finally located on sea ice on Friday afternoon (local time) in Alaska, US by a team of a US Coast Guard helicopter.
The plane was traveling from the small town of Unalakleet, western Alaska, to Nome, located south of the Arctic Circle at 2:37 p.m. The flight was supposed to last around an hour. However, while flying across Norton Sound, the plane lost contact at 5,300ft.
“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.”
USCG Lieutenant Commander Ben McIntyre-Coble said during Friday press-conference that the plane rapidly lost altitude and speed due to “some kind of event.” The exact cause that led to the crash remains unknown.”
“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.
“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.
“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.”
Later, however, the US Coastguard said in a press release: “The Coast Guard determined the severity of the wreckage was beyond the possibility of survival.”
Sympathy poured in, including from Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, who addressed the heartbreaking loss on social media.
“Rose and I are heartbroken by the loss of the 10 people on the Bering Air flight,” Dunleavy wrote on X. “Our prayers are with the families, friends, and communities mourning this tragedy.”
