A tragic plane crash in western Alaska has claimed the lives of 10 people, including the pilot. Authorities are working to recover the wreckage and determine what caused the small commuter aircraft to go down in the icy waters of the Bering Sea. Where and how the crash happened The single-engine turboprop plane, a Cessna Caravan operated by Bering Air, was on a regular commuter flight from Unalakleet to Nome on Thursday afternoon when it disappeared. Officials said contact with the plane was lost less than an hour after take-off, around 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Nome. After an extensive search involving local, state, and federal agencies, the wreckage was found the next day on drifting sea ice. Rescue teams used helicopters to scour large areas of icy waters and frozen tundra. On Saturday, crews managed to recover the remains of the victims before worsening weather conditions with strong winds and snow set in. “The wreckage was located atop sea ice that is drifting about 5 miles (8 km) per day, which has made recovery efforts more challenging,” authorities said, reported Associated Press (AP). Who were the victims? The crash killed all nine passengers and the pilot. The victims ranged in age from 34 to 58, with the pilot being a 34-year-old resident of Nome. Among those who died were Rhone Baumgartner, 46, and Kameron Hartvigson, 41, both from Anchorage. They had travelled to Unalakleet to service a heat-recovery system critical to the community’s water plant, according to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. 🚨Plane carrying 10 people goes missing over Alaska. I'm telling you this guy was telling the truth. former FBI Agent: "these types of accidents will often happen in three's or more so it would not surprise me if we, within the next month, we have another accident." pic.twitter.com/jRikvQ974A — Prometheus ♒ (@wherefami) February 7, 2025 In a statement, Bering Air said: “At this time, our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected by this tragedy. We recognise the profound loss this has caused, and we want to extend our sincerest condolences to everyone impacted.” The company has set up hotlines with specialists to provide emotional support and updates to the families of those on board. Investigation underway to determine the cause The cause of the crash remains under investigation. The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has sent a team from multiple states to examine the wreckage and flight data. Radar data from the US Civil Air Patrol showed that the plane rapidly lost altitude and speed shortly before the crash. However, it’s still unclear why this happened. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble confirmed that no distress signals were received from the plane. “If a plane is exposed to seawater, an emergency locating transmitter usually sends a signal to a satellite, which then alerts the Coast Guard,” McIntyre-Coble said. “But in this case, no such signals were received.” Why flying is essential in Alaska Alaska’s vast, rugged landscape and limited road infrastructure make air travel a vital mode of transportation. Many remote communities aren’t connected to the main road system, so planes are often the only way to travel quickly between places. In fact, even high school sports teams frequently fly to compete against rival schools, and many communities rely on air transport for goods and essential supplies.
