A search is underway for a Bering Air caravan flight with 10 people on board that went missing on a flight in Alaska on Thursday, Feb. 6, officials said.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it had issued a Search and Rescue Alert Notice around 3:20 p.m. local time for Bering Air flight 445.
The flight, a Cessna 208B, had 10 people on board when it disappeared while flying from Unalakleet Airport to Nome Airport in Alaska, according to the FAA.
The Alaska Department of Public Safety said the aircraft was reported to be carrying nine passengers and one pilot as it was heading from Unalakleet to Nome, Alaska, when it went missing.
Alaska State Troopers were contacted around 4 p.m. local time to respond to the report of the overdue aircraft, according to the department.
Bering Air Director of Operations David Olson told NBC affiliate KTUU of Anchorage, Alaska, the flight took off from Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m.
The Nome Volunteer Fire Department said in a Facebook post it was conducting a ground search from Nome, Alaska, and from White Mountain, Alaska, but that due to weather and visibility, the department was limited on air search capacity.
White Mountain Fire Chief Jack Adams told KTUU the aircraft disappeared from the radar somewhere along the coast of Nome to Topkok, and that crews were searching a 30-mile stretch in the area.
“We’re hoping (the plane) is on land, being in the water would be the worst-case scenario,” Adams said.
The U.S. Coast Guard said in a post on X the aircraft was about 12 miles offshore “when its position was lost.”
An HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from Air Station Kodiak was searching for the plane’s last known position, according to the coast guard.
The Coast Guard said crews had responded around 4:30 p.m. to an aircraft emergency notification regarding the Cessna Caravan. The National Guard was also assisting in the search, according to the volunteer fire department.
“We ask the public to please think of those who may be missing at this time, but due to weather and safety concerns please do not form individual search parties,” the volunteer fire department said.
On Friday, Jan. 7 at 12:30 a.m. local time, the volunteer fire department said in a Facebook post it did “not have any updated information on the location of the missing aircraft,” but that crews were still searching on the ground.
“The National Guard C-130 reported they found nothing found so far,” the volunteer fire department said in the post. “The Air Force also sent a C-130 resumed the search and also have reported no visuals, and have one hour of flight search time remaining.”
The volunteer fire department said it would provide another update by 9 a.m. local time.
Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) said in a Facebook post he was aware of reports of a possible missing plane traveling to Nome, Alaska.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the passengers, their families and the rescue crew,” Sullivan said.
Bering Air did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TODAY.com.
