Washington, February 8 The wreckage of a plane that went missing in Alaska on Thursday has been found, with all 10 passengers confirmed dead, the U.S. Coast Guard announced on Friday.
Plane Wreckage Discovered Southeast of Nome
According to a report by CNN, the debris of the aircraft was located approximately 34 miles southeast of its intended destination, Nome. U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Mike Salerno stated that two rescue divers managed to recover three bodies, while the remaining seven passengers were found inside the wreckage.
Among the deceased were two employees of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), identified as Ron Baumgartner and Kameron Hartwigson. ANTHC CEO Natasha Singh expressed deep sorrow over their tragic loss.
Bering Air Plane Crashes Due to Bad Weather
Alaska State Troopers confirmed that the aircraft belonged to Bering Air. It was carrying nine passengers and a pilot when it encountered severe weather conditions, veering off course and ultimately crashing. The Nome Volunteer Fire Department stated that poor weather significantly hampered search efforts.
Initial search flights conducted by a U.S. Air Force C-130 crew yielded no results. However, rescue teams later managed to locate the wreckage, bringing closure to the devastating incident.
Authorities continue to investigate the crash to determine the exact cause, while officials have extended condolences to the families of the victims.
