Crews in Alaska are in the process of recovering the bodies of all ten individuals who tragically lost their lives in a plane crash, according to authorities. Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), stated that the investigation is still in its "early stages," making it premature to determine the cause of the crash.
The aircraft, a Cessna Grand Caravan operated by regional airline Bering Air, lost radar contact during its flight from Unalakleet to Nome last Thursday. It reportedly went down in Norton Sound, approximately 34 miles southeast of Nome, a small city with a population of around 3,500 on Alaska's western coast. Among the deceased are Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson, both employees of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, who were in the area to conduct maintenance work on a water plant.
During a news conference held in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, Ms. Homendy confirmed that nine investigators were already on site supported by specialists in Washington, D.C. "The priority is victim recovery," she stated. However, recovery operations are being hampered by deteriorating weather conditions, as the wreckage came to rest on a moving ice floe currently shifting at five miles per day.
Bering Air has publicly expressed its condolences and committed to cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation. The U.S. Coast Guard reported they were made aware of an "overdue" aircraft around 4:00 PM local time on Thursday. The pilot had advised air traffic control moments earlier of plans to enter a holding pattern while awaiting runway clearance. The Coast Guard later indicated that the plane had undergone a swift loss in both altitude and speed before contact ceased.
Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski expressed her sorrow through social media, noting, "When tragedy strikes, we're never far removed from the Alaskans directly impacted." Meanwhile, Alaska's Governor Mike Dunleavy conveyed his heartbreak upon the flight's disappearance, extending thoughts and prayers to the victims, their families, and friends during this challenging time. The two cities, Unakleet and Nome, lie about 150 miles apart, separated by the extensive Norton Sound inlet in the Bering Sea.
The aircraft, a Cessna Grand Caravan operated by regional airline Bering Air, lost radar contact during its flight from Unalakleet to Nome last Thursday. It reportedly went down in Norton Sound, approximately 34 miles southeast of Nome, a small city with a population of around 3,500 on Alaska's western coast. Among the deceased are Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson, both employees of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, who were in the area to conduct maintenance work on a water plant.
During a news conference held in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, Ms. Homendy confirmed that nine investigators were already on site supported by specialists in Washington, D.C. "The priority is victim recovery," she stated. However, recovery operations are being hampered by deteriorating weather conditions, as the wreckage came to rest on a moving ice floe currently shifting at five miles per day.
Bering Air has publicly expressed its condolences and committed to cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation. The U.S. Coast Guard reported they were made aware of an "overdue" aircraft around 4:00 PM local time on Thursday. The pilot had advised air traffic control moments earlier of plans to enter a holding pattern while awaiting runway clearance. The Coast Guard later indicated that the plane had undergone a swift loss in both altitude and speed before contact ceased.
Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski expressed her sorrow through social media, noting, "When tragedy strikes, we're never far removed from the Alaskans directly impacted." Meanwhile, Alaska's Governor Mike Dunleavy conveyed his heartbreak upon the flight's disappearance, extending thoughts and prayers to the victims, their families, and friends during this challenging time. The two cities, Unakleet and Nome, lie about 150 miles apart, separated by the extensive Norton Sound inlet in the Bering Sea.
