The U.S. Coast Guard has found the Nome-bound passenger plane that went missing on the morning of Feb. 6.
According to a 2:17 p.m., update from the agency on Feb. 7, the Coast Guard “located an aircraft matching the description of the missing plane approx. 34 miles southeast of Nome. 3 individuals were found inside and reported to be deceased. Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic incident.”
The Bering Air Caravan, a single-engine turboprop plane, was flying from Unalakleet to Nome with nine adult passengers and the pilot. The 150-mile flight was at full capacity when Coast Guard radar data showed the plane rapidly losing altitude and speed at around 2:37 p.m. on Feb. 6, less than an hour after takeoff.
A multi-agency search effort was led by the U.S. Coast Guard, with help from the National Transportation Safety Board, Alaska State Troopers and the National Guard.
Search efforts include the use of high-tech cameras and underwater devices to determine ice and water flow direction. Additionally, the National Guard launched an HC-130 plane and a helicopter to assist in the search on Thursday. While the plane was able to access the area for about four hours, the helicopter was forced to turn back due to severe weather conditions, according to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson spokesman Alan Brown.
National Guard pilots continued the search on Feb. 7 with vastly improved weather conditions.
Relatives of passengers on board have been notified but passenger names have not been released.
At this point, the cause of the crash is unknown and there is no available information released about the pilot, or pilot experience.
According to the Coast Guard, every plane carries an emergency locating transmitter, but there were no ELT transmissions sent from the missing plane, and the agency does not yet know why.
