The search is on for a missing plane in Alaska.
A Cessna aircraft operated by Bering Air carrying 10 people disappeared from radar while flying from Unalakleet to Nome over the North Sound inlet Feb. 7, according to local and state officials.
The flight took off at 2:37pm local time and Alaska State Troopers were notified of an “overdue aircraft” at 4pm, per KTTU. It’s last position was received at 3:16pm, according to FlightRadar24, when the plane was about 12 miles offshore, per the U.S. Coast Guard.
Local officials noted that both a ground and air search were underway in the region of western Alaska, despite low visibility and blistering conditions.
“We are currently doing an active ground search from Nome and from White Mountain and have as much up to date information on the event as possible,” the Nome Volunteer Fire Department wrote in its initial update on Facebook. “Due to weather and visibility, we are limited on air search at the current time.”
The post noted that “National Guard and Coast Guard and Troopers have been notified and are active in the search.”
“We ask the public to please think of those who may be missing at this time,” the department added, “but due to weather and safety concerns please do not form individual search parties. Families are encouraged to seek support at Norton Sound Health Corporation.”
In a subsequent post, the NVFD that “the pilot of the plane told Anchorage Air Traffic Control that he intended to enter a holding pattern while waiting for the runway to be cleared.”
White Mountain fire chief Jack Adams said that search efforts were intended to last through the night.
“They’re prepared to be out all night, they will search here until they find them or somebody else finds them,” he told KTTU‘s Alaska’s News Source. “If they don’t find anything, we’ll probably rally another crew to go and help.”
Adams added, “We’re hoping [the plane] is on land, being in the water would be the worst-case scenario.”
Nearly five hours later around 12:55am local time Feb. 7, the Nome Volunteer Fire Department revealed that it did “not have any updated information on the location of the missing aircraft.”
“Crews are still searching on the ground,” the department shared, “canvassing as much area as possible.”
The update added that the C-130 Coast Guard plane “reported they found nothing so far” and that the Airforce also sent a C-130 that had “resumed the search” but “reported no visuals.”
The NVFD expected to provide another update around 9am local time, and Adams hammered home how difficult the search conditions were.
Nearly five hours later around 12:55am local time Feb. 7, the Nome Volunteer Fire Department revealed that it did “not have any updated information on the location of the missing aircraft.”
“Crews are still searching on the ground,” the department shared, “canvassing as much area as possible.”
The update added that the C-130 Coast Guard plane “reported they found nothing so far” and that the Airforce also sent a C-130 that had “resumed the search” but “reported no visuals.”
The NVFD expected to provide another update around 9am local time, and Adams hammered home how difficult the search conditions were.
“Word is, all the aircraft are grounded, there’s zero visibility,” the fire chief said. “Basically, you can’t see anything from the air or the ground, and in the dark looking for something in zero visibility is a tough job.”
