The wreckage of the Bering Air caravan that went missing on Thursday has been discovered, and all ten people on board are presumed to have died, Alaskan authorities said.
The aircraft was discovered Friday sitting on sea ice about 34 miles southeast of Nome, Alaska, according to the US Coast Guard, which also released a photo of the fallen aircraft.
The Coast Guard reported that three persons were found deceased inside. The remaining seven persons are believed to be inside, “but are currently inaccessible due to the condition of the plane,” according to the Coast Guard.
“Our heartfelt condolences are with those affected by this tragic incident,” the Coast Guard stated.
USCG Lt. Commander Mike Salerno informed ABC News that the bodies will be recovered by Alaska State Troopers. He stated that all ten people on board were presumed to have died.
A search and rescue crew on a USCG MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter discovered the wreckage, after which two rescue swimmers were dropped to investigate the plane.
After the airplane went missing, crews in Nome conducted search and rescue operations.
The Federal Aviation Administration said that Bering Air Flight 445, a Cessna 208B, disappeared while flying from Unalakleet Airport to Nome Airport around 3:20 p.m. local time Thursday.
“The aircraft was 12 miles offshore transiting from Unalakleet to Nome when its position was lost,” the U.S. Coast Guard Alaska maritime region reported.
Earlier Friday, a “item of interest” was discovered by an aircraft participating in the search efforts, though specifics were not immediately available, Coast Guard Officer Ben McIntyre-Coble said during a press briefing.
Authorities say the plane was reported overdue about 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.
According to radar analysis, at around 3:18 p.m., the aircraft “experienced some kind of event which caused them to experience a rapid loss in elevation and a rapid loss and speed,” according to McIntyre-Coble.
“What that event is, I can’t speculate to,” according to him.
The commuter jet carried nine adult passengers and a pilot, according to police.
The Alaska Army National Guard, Alaska State Troopers, and Nome Volunteer Fire Department all contributed to the search-and-rescue effort.
Authorities reported that inclement weather in the area hampered some of the aerial search effort overnight.
The National Transportation Safety Board announced that it is conducting an investigation. Jennifer Homendy, the NTSB chair, will fly to Alaska this weekend.
