Major search underway after flight carrying 10 people vanishes over Alaska
The search for a plane carrying nine passengers and one pilot has begun after it went missing over Alaska.
Operated by Bering Air, the Cessna 208B was making its way from the Unalakleet, a small coastal region in the western part of Alaska, to the city of Nome in the US state.
The trip ordinarily takes 55 minutes nonstop, though after it was reported as overdue at 4pm local time on Thursday night (6 February), authorities began to worry.
NBC News reported that the Coast Guard was notified, while a ground search is underway, as weather conditions limited air operations yesterday.
Advert
Taking to Facebook, the Nome Volunteer Fire Department wrote that it is 'limited on air search' due to weather and visibility.
It added: "We are currently doing an active ground search from Nome and from White Mountain.
"We ask the public to please think of those who may be missing at this time, but due to weather and safety concerns please do not form individual search parties."
Teams are currently working to find out the plane's last known coordinates, as a Coast Guard plane with special equipment was deployed in the area to carry out a 'grid pattern search' over the water and shoreline, as it can 'locate objects and people through no visibility conditions'.
After authorities issued a warning to members of the public to avoid carrying out their own searches due to the conditions in Alaska, the last known contact with the pilot was revealed to be with Anchorage Air Traffic Control.
According to the Daily Mail, authorities said the pilot detailed that they would 'enter a holding pattern' as they waited for the runway to be cleared.
It is believed that it was 12 miles off-shore when contact was lost.
Norton Sound Health Corporation published a statement as teams searching for the plane battle unforgiving weather conditions, giving families of passengers a place to wait for news updates.
It said: "Norton Sound Health Corporation is standing ready to respond to a community medical emergency.
"A family centre is accepting family members and loved ones in the Norton Sound Regional Hospital’s third floor conference room."
Alaskan Senator Dan Sullivan also issued a statement on Thursday night, writing on Facebook: "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."
LADbible has reached out to Bering Air for comment.
Joshua Nair