In brief
Authorities continue to recover the bodies of ten individuals, including a pilot and nine passengers, who tragically lost their lives in a plane crash in Alaska. The Cessna Grand Caravan, operated by Bering Air, was on a flight from Unalakleet to Nome when it lost radar contact over Norton Sound, approximately 34 miles southeast of Nome. The National Transportation Safety Board's chair, Jennifer Homendy, announced the investigation is in its early stages, with investigator teams working in challenging weather conditions. Among the deceased are two health consortium employees, Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson, who were on site for maintenance operations. Officials are prioritizing victim recovery amidst moving wreckage, and condolences from local officials express the community's mourning during this difficult time.
Crews are still working to recover the bodies of 10 people killed in a plane crash in Alaska, officials have said. Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, stated the investigation into the crash was in its "early stages," emphasizing that it was too soon to determine its cause. The Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft, operated by regional carrier Bering Air, was en route from Unalakleet to Nome when it suddenly lost radar contact. The plane was carrying nine passengers and a pilot when it went down in Norton Sound, situated around 34 miles (55km) southeast of Nome, a small city on Alaska’s west coast with a population of about 3,500.Among the fatalities were Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson, both employees of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. They had traveled to Unalakleet for maintenance work on a water facility, as reported by the non-profit organization on Friday. Homendy mentioned that nine investigators are presently on-site, supported by specialists based in Washington, D.C. The recovery efforts are ongoing, with a primary focus on retrieving the victims. During a news conference in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, Homendy extended condolences to the families affected by this tragedy. Conditions at the crash site have worsened, with the wreckage now situated on an ice floe moving at a rate of five miles daily. Bering Air released a statement expressing condolences and commitment to fully cooperate with the investigation.The US Coast Guard stated that they received notification of an "overdue aircraft" at approximately 4:00 PM local time on Thursday (01:00 GMT). According to the Nome volunteer fire department, the pilot had communicated to air traffic controllers their intent to enter a holding pattern while awaiting runway clearance. Reports indicate that the aircraft underwent a rapid decrease in both altitude and speed before losing contact with the radar. Footage from the incident showed the low visibility conditions in the area.Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski expressed her condolences following the incident, stating, "Alaska is a big small town. When tragedy strikes, we're never far removed from the Alaskans directly impacted." Meanwhile, Alaska's Governor Mike Dunleavy shared his heartbreak over the accident. "Our prayers are with the passengers, the pilot, and their loved ones during this difficult time," he declared.The towns of Unalakleet and Nome are situated about 150 miles apart, across Norton Sound, which is an inlet of the Bering Sea on Alaska's western coastline.
