A search operation is currently underway in Alaska after a plane carrying 10 individuals disappeared on Thursday afternoon. The aircraft, operated by Bering Air, was en route from Unalakleet to Nome in Western Alaska when it lost contact about 12 miles off the coast. According to U.S. Coast Guard sources, the flight’s position was last tracked over the Norton Sound.

FlightRadar data indicated that the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX was last recorded at 3:16 p.m. on Thursday. In response, Coast Guard officials deployed an HC-130 Hercules plane from Air Station Kodiak to search the last known position of the missing flight. The aircraft is conducting a search pattern over the water and shoreline using specialized equipment designed for low-visibility conditions, as explained by the Nome Volunteer Fire Department.

Bering Air is a regional carrier based in Nome, with additional hubs in Kotzebue and Unalakleet. The airline operates daily scheduled passenger and cargo flights to 32 communities along the northwest coast of Alaska. When the plane went missing, there were nine passengers and one pilot aboard.

David Olson, Bering Air’s director of operations, confirmed the airline’s efforts to gather information and assist with emergency response. “We are working diligently to get emergency help and ensure that search and rescue operations are underway,” Olson said in a statement to the Associated Press.

As of Friday morning, the Nome Volunteer Fire Department reported that there was no new information about the plane’s location. Search crews continued scouring the ground and covering as much territory as possible. The fire department added that the National Guard, Coast Guard, and state troopers are actively involved in the search. Support from the Air Force has also been deployed from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to assist in the search efforts.

Authorities have cautioned the public against forming their own search parties due to safety concerns and inclement weather. The cold temperatures, which are currently in the teens in Unalakleet, are one of the significant challenges facing both the search teams and anyone still aboard the missing aircraft. Snow and fog were also reported at the time of the plane’s departure, making the flight’s journey even more hazardous.

Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Ak.) expressed his support for the ongoing rescue operation in a Facebook post: “We are hearing reports of a possible missing plane en route to Nome. Our thoughts and prayers are with the passengers, their families, and the rescue crew.”

This incident marks the third aviation-related emergency in the region in recent weeks. The first involved a Black Hawk helicopter colliding with a passenger jet, followed by a medevac jet crash in Philadelphia. The disappearance of this Bering Air flight adds to the concerns surrounding aviation safety in Alaska, especially in the challenging and unpredictable conditions that are common in the region.

Search teams continue their tireless efforts in the hope of locating the missing aircraft and bringing its passengers to safety. As the situation unfolds, local authorities, rescue teams, and officials remain focused on ensuring that all available resources are utilized in the ongoing search.