All 10 victims of the Alaska regional airline crash have been recovered, officials revealed on Saturday.
The Nome Volunteer Fire Department said in a Facebook post that “All ten individuals aboard the Bering Air plane have been officially brought home to Nome. Nome SAR efforts stand by for our Bering Air crew to complete their aircraft recovery operations.”
“We thank the Airforce for their main role in the recovery efforts for the sake of our community team,” they added.
The small plane carrying a pilot and nine passengers departed from Unalakleet on Thursday before it disappeared. The plane was located Friday about 34 miles southeast of Nome, where it was set to land, the U.S. Coast Guard said. The 10 people onboard were declared dead.
The wreckage of the plane is laying on sea ice that officials have stated is young and unstable, with heavy winds and snow expected in the area this weekend, CNN reported. Officials said the bodies were recovered first before the plane will be removed for analysis.
On Friday night, the chief of the Nome Volunteer Fire Department, Jim West, said: “We don’t know how long that’s going to take. It could go hours; it could go potentially days. Coming up to tomorrow, we have 18 hours of potential recovery time.”
Key points
- 'A rapid loss in elevation and a rapid loss in speed'
- Mayor chokes up announcing deaths from Alaskan plane crash
- 'It’s hard to accept the reality of our loss,' senator says
- Alaska National Guard taking part in recovery efforts
- Crews rush to recover commuter plane found crashed on Alaska sea ice before expected snow and wind
Crews rush to recover plane crash on Alaska sea ice before snow hits
14:00
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Becky Bohrer, Hallie Golden
Just hours after finding 10 people dead in western Alaska from one of the deadliest plane crashes in the state in 25 years, authorities raced to recover their remains and the wreckage of the small commuter plane from unstable sea ice before expected high winds and snow.
“The conditions out there are dynamic, so we’ve got to do it safely in the fastest way we can,” Jim West, chief of the Nome Volunteer Fire Department, said Friday.
The Bering Air single-engine turboprop plane was traveling from Unalakleet to the hub community of Nome when it disappeared Thursday afternoon. It was found the next day after an extensive search with all nine passengers and the pilot dead.
Read more:
Here's what we know about a commuter plane crash in Alaska that killed 10 people
12:00
,
AP
Authorities are working to recover the wreckage of a plane crash in western Alaska that killed 10 people while investigators are trying to determine what caused the small commuter aircraft to go down in the icy Bering Sea.
The single-engine turboprop plane was traveling from Unalakleet to the hub community of Nome when it disappeared Thursday afternoon. The Bering Air plane was found the next day after an extensive search. Nine passengers and the pilot were killed.
Crews on Saturday were racing to recover the wreckage and the remains of those killed in the crash before expected high winds and snow.
Here are things to know about the plane crash, which is one of the deadliest plane crashes in the state in 25 years.
Read more:
'Our hearts are heavy with grief as we process this heartbreaking news,' airline says
10:00
,
AP
Bering Air serves 32 villages in western Alaska from hubs in Nome, Kotzebue and Unalakleet. Most destinations receive twice-daily scheduled flights Monday through Saturday.
“Our hearts are heavy with grief as we process this heartbreaking news,” Bering Air wrote in a statement on its website. “At this time, our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected by this tragedy. We recognize the profound loss this has caused, and we want to extend our sincerest condolences to everyone impacted.”
A phone line was set up to give updates and emotional support to people who had loved ones on board, Bering Air said. The company asked for privacy for everyone involved, and said it was committed to supporting authorities.
“Please know that we are doing everything we can to ensure that accurate information is shared promptly, and we will continue to update the public as needed,” the company said.
Unalakleet is a community of about 690 people about 150 miles (about 240 kilometers) southeast of Nome and 395 miles (about 640 kilometers) northwest of Anchorage. The village is on the Iditarod trail, route of the world’s most famous sled dog race, during which mushers and their teams must cross the frozen Norton Sound.
Nome, a Gold Rush town, is just south of the Arctic Circle and is known as the ending point of the 1,000-mile (1,610-kilometer) Iditarod. The city said prayer vigils would be held Friday for those on board the plane, friends and family and those involved in search efforts.
WATCH: US plane with 10 onboard disappears near Alaska
08:00
,
Gustaf Kilander
Wreckage of missing Alaska flight found and bodies of all 10 victims recovered
07:00
,
Mike Bedigan
All 10 victims of the Alaska regional airline crash have been recovered, officials revealed on Saturday.
The Nome Volunteer Fire Department said in a Facebook post that “All ten individuals aboard the Bering Air plane have been officially brought home to Nome. Nome SAR efforts stand by for our Bering Air crew to complete their aircraft recovery operations.”
“We thank the Airforce for their main role in the recovery efforts for the sake of our community team,” they added.
All those aboard died in the crash, authorities previously confirmed.
Read more:
Third major U.S. aviation mishap in eight days
06:00
,
AP
The National Transportation Safety Board was sending nine people to the scene from various states.
Flying is an essential mode of transportation in Alaska due to the vastness of the landscape and limited infrastructure. Most communities are not connected to the developed road system that serves the state’s most populous region, and it’s common to travel by small plane.
Some high school teams fly to sporting events against rival high schools, and goods are brought to many communities by barge or by air.
The plane’s crash marks the third major U.S. aviation mishap in eight days. A commercial jetliner and an Army helicopter collided near the nation’s capital on Jan. 29, killing 67 people. A medical transportation plane crashed in Philadelphia on Jan. 31, killing the six people on board and another person on the ground.
'A rapid loss in elevation and a rapid loss in speed'
05:00
,
AP
Radar forensic data provided by the U.S. Civil Air Patrol indicated that about 3:18 p.m., the plane had “some kind of event which caused them to experience a rapid loss in elevation and a rapid loss in speed,” Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble said. “What that event is, I can’t speculate to.”
McIntyre-Coble said he was unaware of any distress signals from the aircraft. Planes carry an emergency locating transmitter. If exposed to seawater, the device sends a signal to a satellite, which then relays that message back to the Coast Guard to indicate an aircraft may be in distress. No such messages were received by the Coast Guard, he said.
Rescuers were searching the aircraft’s last known location by helicopter when the wreckage was spotted, said Mike Salerno, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard. Two rescue swimmers were lowered to investigate.
Local, state and federal agencies had assisted in the search effort, combing stretches of ice-dotted waters and scouring miles of frozen tundra.
Mayor chokes up announcing deaths from Alaskan plane crash
04:00
,
Gustaf Kilander
'It’s hard to accept the reality of our loss,' senator says
03:00
,
AP
“It’s hard to accept the reality of our loss,” U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said during an evening news conference.
Nome Mayor John Handeland choked up as he discussed the deaths and the response effort.
“Nome is a strong community, and in challenging times we come together and support each other. I expect the outpouring of support to continue in the coming days as we all work to recover from this tragic incident,” Handeland said.
The Cessna Caravan left Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m. Thursday, and officials lost contact with it less than an hour later, according to David Olson, director of operations for Bering Air. There was light snow and fog, with a temperature of 17 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 8.3 degrees Celsius), according to the National Weather Service.
The Coast Guard said the aircraft went missing about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Nome.
Alaska National Guard taking part in recovery efforts
02:00
,
AP
As the community tried to process the deadly event, crews worked swiftly on unstable, slushy sea ice to recover the bodies and the wreckage. The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory, with snow and winds up to 45 miles per hour (72 kilometers per hour) expected to hit the region Saturday night, lasting into Sunday evening.
Officials said a Black Hawk helicopter would be used to move the aircraft once the bodies were removed.
John Dougherty, a spokesperson with the Alaska State Troopers, said the Alaska National Guard was among the entities helping with body recovery efforts.
The Alaska National Guard said two helicopters, a cargo aircraft and a team of pararescuemen were assisting in the recovery efforts.
Crews rush to recover commuter plane found crashed on Alaska sea ice before expected snow and wind
01:00
,
AP
Authorities in western Alaska raced on Saturday to recover the remains of 10 people killed in a commuter plane crash from unstable sea ice before expected high winds and snow.
The aircraft is on an ice floe that is drifting about 5 miles (8 kilometers) a day, creating difficult conditions for recovery crews, said National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy during a press conference Saturday afternoon.
“Please know that we’ll work diligently to determine how this happened with the ultimate goal of improving safety in Alaska and across the United States,” said Homendy. The first priority is victim recovery, she said.
The Nome Volunteer Fire Department wrote on Facebook that they were using a window in the weather to try to “bring Bering passengers and crew home today” from one of the deadliest plane crashes in the state in 25 years.
The Bering Air single-engine turboprop plane was traveling from Unalakleet to the hub community of Nome when it disappeared Thursday afternoon. It was found the next day after an extensive search with all nine passengers and the pilot dead.
How will new Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy respond to air disasters?
00:08
,
Josh Marcus
More than most officials, the newly confirmed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been thrown directly into crisis since joining the administration, with a string of air disasters taking place this month.
As progressive political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen points out, Duffy was a sharp critic of his Democratic predecessor Pete Buttigieg.
Jan 29: first commercial plane crash in 16 years in DC
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) February 7, 2025
Jan 31: Learjet crash in Philadelphia
Feb 5: Japan Airlines plane strikes Delta flight on runway in Seattle
Feb 6: Bering Air flight wrecks in Nome, Alaska
Here's footage of @SecDuffy doing a podcast with his wife claiming… pic.twitter.com/dDLJC95MuU
Time will tell if Duffy faces the same kind of pressures.
Coast Guard describes moments before Bering flight dropped off radar
Saturday 8 February 2025 23:08
,
Josh Marcus
Officials are still searching for information on why a Bering Air plane fell off radar then crashed on Thursday during a flight between Unalakleet and Nome.
“This aircraft experienced some kind of event which caused them to experience a rapid loss in elevation and a rapid loss in speed,” Ben McIntyre-Coble with the U.S Coast Guard said on Friday.
"You know, it's February in Alaska and the weather has not been fantastic,” he added.
Alaska crash follows spate of plane disasters
Saturday 8 February 2025 22:08
,
Josh Marcus
This week’s plane crash in Alaska is the latest in a string of freak accidents across U.S. skies this year.
At the beginning of this month, an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army helicopter collided mid-air near Ronald Reagan National Airport, killing all 67 people onboard.
Two days later, a medical jet carrier a child patient from Mexico crashed into a residential neighborhood shortly after taking off from a Philadelphia-area airport.
The Trump administration has vowed to fix the problem, with Elon Musk’s DOGE team saying it will “plug in” to the air traffic control system.
Friends and family grieve passengers of Bering Air flight
Saturday 8 February 2025 21:08
,
Josh Marcus
People are mourning the loss of Bering Air passengers Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson, the first two victims of the 10-person crash who have been named.
“We lost two coworkers today,” Jackie Qataliña Schaeffer, who worked with the men at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, wrote on Facebook. “Families lost family members. My heart grieves for them all..”
“This breaks my heart,” Ashlee McSwain, Hartvigson’s niece, wrote on Facebook.
“I love you, Uncle Rhone,” Rhone Baumgartner’s niece Riley wrote on Facebook.
First responders try to make progress during 'weather window'
Saturday 8 February 2025 20:05
,
Josh Marcus
Rescue crews are hard at work recovering the bodies of 10 people who were killed when a Bering Air jet crashed in rural Alaska during a storm this week.
“Efforts continue this morning in our weather window to bring Bering Air passengers and crew home today,” the Nome Volunteer Fire Department wrote in an updated on Saturday on Facebook.
Snow, gales, and strong winds are expected later today.
'Hazardous' weather warning as crews work to recover plane
Saturday 8 February 2025 19:05
,
Josh Marcus
The National Weather Service is warning of hazardous weather that could last through Sunday in the area near where the Bering Air flight crashed, including snow, ice, and wind gusts as high as 45 mph.
“Travel could be very difficult,” the agency wrote in a forecast. “Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility.”
Gales warnings are in going to be in effect on Norton Sound beginning later tonight.
ICYMI: Alaska officials provide update on Bering Air crash
Saturday 8 February 2025 18:05
,
Josh Marcus
Details have been scant this morning about the progress on the recovery mission for a Bering Air flight that crashed on Thursday, killing 10.
Local officials most recently updated the public yesterday.
Watch their full comments here.
'We're all connected': Tight-knit Alaska towns brace for plane crash victim IDs
Saturday 8 February 2025 16:45
,
Josh Marcus
Authorities haven’t named all of those lost in the Bering Air crash on Thursday, but residents of the small towns around Alaska’s Norton Sound are bracing for the news.
“The whole Norton Sound is going to be affected by this,” Nick Hanson, a former American Ninja Warrior contestant from Unalakleet, the departure point of the flight, told Alaska’s News Source. “Whether they’re family or not, we’re all connected.
“We’re all just one big village.”
'My heart is broken': Alaska officials weigh in on crash
Saturday 8 February 2025 15:55
,
Josh Marcus
Alaska officials are mourning those lost in the Bering Air crash.
My heart is broken over the news out of Nome. Alaska is a big small town. When tragedy strikes, we’re never far removed from the Alaskans directly impacted. But that also means we come together as a community to grieve and heal. We are deeply grateful to the Alaska National…
— Sen. Lisa Murkowski (@lisamurkowski) February 8, 2025
Julie, my team, and I join all Alaskans in praying for those missing on the flight from Unalakleet to Nome, their families and the communities. This morning, I spoke to Jennifer Homendy, the Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and I suggested that she travel…
— Sen. Dan Sullivan (@SenDanSullivan) February 7, 2025
Coast Guard divers describe crash site
Saturday 8 February 2025 15:25
,
Josh Marcus
Despite unstable ice conditions at the crash site, the Coast Guard was able to lower two rescue divers onto the site yesterday.
“They were able to see inside the aircraft, and they saw three individuals who were unresponsive without any signs of life,” Coast Guard spokesperson Mike Salerno said Friday.
The rest of the aircraft was inaccessible due, though the remaining crew members are “believed to be inside that wreckage, and unfortunately, of course, it does not appear to be a survivable crash,” Salerno added.
Federal officials converge on Alaska to aid in crash response
Saturday 8 February 2025 14:54
,
Josh Marcus
Federal officials are aiding the sprawling rescue effort to recover the bodies of 10 people presumed killed in a plane that crashed in rural Alaska on Thursday.
The 176th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard is assisting in the mission, as is the U.S. Coast Guard.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are also en route to the disaster site.
“We have a pretty large response coming from Washington, D.C., from various locations in the air, in the neighborhood of nine people,” Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska chief, said on Friday.
The FBI’s Anchorage field office is providing technical assistance.
The #FBI Anchorage Field Office is assisting local, state, and federal partners following reports of a missing passenger plane near Nome, #Alaska. Follow @USCGAlaska for updates on search and rescue efforts. pic.twitter.com/Ga3GiDucIs
— FBI Anchorage (@FBIAnchorage) February 7, 2025
Victims named in Alaska plane crash
Saturday 8 February 2025 14:41
,
Josh Marcus
Two of the 10 people likely killed in the Alaska plane crash have been identified as employees of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.
Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson worked in utility operations for the group.
They were in Unalakleet to service a heating system at a water plant, the consortium told local media.
“Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson were passionate about the work they did, cared deeply for the communities they served, and made a lasting impact on rural communities across our state,” Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium interim president Natasha Singh said in a statement to Alaska’s News Source.
“They gave the ultimate sacrifice for the people we serve in the work we do,” she added. “Everyone at ANTHC feels a sense of shock and loss because they were so crucial to our Rural Energy and Tribal Support teams. My thoughts are with their families, the people who worked alongside them day in and day out, and for everyone else who lost a loved one today.”
Recap: What happened to the vanished Bering air flight near Nome
Saturday 8 February 2025 14:00
,
Mike Bedigan
A plane carrying 10 people that went missing in rural Alaska during a brutal winter storm on Thursday, has now been found.
Rescue crews are worked through “zero visibility conditions” to search for survivors aboard the Bering Air Flight 445, though authorities later announced there had been no survivors.
Here’s what we know so far:
ICYMI: Wreckage of missing Alaska flight found with no survivors
Saturday 8 February 2025 13:00
,
Mike Bedigan
A plane matching the one that went missing in Alaska with 10 aboard has been found, along with three bodies, authorities have confirmed.
The U.S. Coast Guard said the aircraft had been found approximately 34 miles southeast of of Nome and that all the passengers on board are dead. “Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic incident,” the USCG said.
Read the full story here:
Unspecified 'event' caused missing aircraft to drop off radars
Saturday 8 February 2025 12:00
,
Mike Bedigan
An unspecified “event” caused the Bering Air Flight 445 to drop off the radars, officials have said.
Coast Guard Luitenant Commander Ben McIntyre-Coble said on Friday that “some kind of event” caused the aircraft to “rapidly lose altitude and speed.”
He said he could not comment on the nature of the event, and added that investigations are ongoing.
All passengers on missing flight were adults
Saturday 8 February 2025 11:00
,
Mike Bedigan
All 10 passengers on the missing Bering flight were adults, officials have confirmed.
Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Ben McIntyre-Coble said that the trip was a “regularly scheduled commuter flight” at a press conference on Friday.
The USCG announced that all those aboard the plane were dead, at around 3 p.m. local time on Friday.
Watch: Major search launched as Bering Air plane goes missing in Alaska with 10 onboard
Saturday 8 February 2025 10:00
,
Mike Bedigan
Three aviation incidents in 8 days
Saturday 8 February 2025 09:00
,
Kelly Rissman
The U.S. skies have seen multiple aviation incidents since late January.
On January 29, a military helicopter collided with an American Airlines jet, killing all 67 people on board both aircrafts.
Days later, a medical jet carrying a young girl, her mother and four crew members crashed down in northeast Philadelphia, claiming all the lives on board.
Now, the plane flying 10 people to Nome, Alaska has disappeared during a winter storm. Officials are now in a race against time to find the nine passengers and pilot.
Cause of the incident remains 'unknown' after plane and passengers found dead
Saturday 8 February 2025 08:00
,
Mike Bedigan
Though the aircraft and its passengers have now been found, the cause of the incident is still unknown.
Authorities previously said Bering Air Flight 455 suffered “some kind of event” before that caused it to “rapidly lose altitude and speed.”
What happened to the vanished Bering air flight near Nome?
Saturday 8 February 2025 07:00
,
Mike Bedigan
A plane carrying 10 people that went missing in rural Alaska during a brutal winter storm on Thursday, has now been found.
Rescue crews are worked through “zero visibility conditions” to search for survivors aboard the Bering Air Flight 445, though authorities later announced there had been no survivors.
Read more here:
Saturday 8 February 2025 06:00
,
Mike Bedigan
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy said he and his wife were “heartbroken” by the deaths of the Bering Air Flight 445 passengers.
“Our prayers are with the families, friends, and communities mourning this tragedy,” he wrote on X.
“We are grateful to the search teams who worked tirelessly to locate the aircraft. I ask all Alaskans to keep those affected in their thoughts and prayers.”
Rose and I are heartbroken by the loss of the 10 people on the Bering Air flight. Our prayers are with the families, friends, and communities mourning this tragedy.
— Governor Mike Dunleavy (@GovDunleavy) February 8, 2025
We are grateful to the search teams who worked tirelessly to locate the aircraft. I ask all Alaskans to keep those…
Coast Guard shares picture of the wreckage of Bering Air Flight 445
Saturday 8 February 2025 05:01
,
Mike Bedigan
Is it still safe to fly?
Saturday 8 February 2025 04:00
,
Mike Bedigan
Nine passengers and a pilot are missing after Bering Air flight 445 vanished in the rural western region of Nome in Alaska.
The missing plane marks the third major air incident involving US personnel in 10 days.
A mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and a US military Black Hawk helicopter in Washington DC took the lives of 67 passengers on Wednesday 29 January.
Two days later, a medical jet crashed in Northeast Philadelphia, killing seven people, including all six passengers on board.
Simon Calder looks at the alarming question of how safe it is to fly:
Missing plane found on sea ice
Saturday 8 February 2025 03:00
,
Mike Bedigan
The Bering Air flight 455 was located on sea ice, authorities said on Friday.
Mike Salerno, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard, said rescuers were searching the aircraft's last known location by helicopter when they spotted the wreckage.
They lowered two rescue swimmers to investigate.
Flight tracker captures moment Bering Air plane disappears over Alaska
Saturday 8 February 2025 02:00
,
Mike Bedigan
A flight tracker has captured the moment a Bering Air plane with 10 people on board disappears over Alaska.
The plane carrying went missing in rural Alaska during a dangerous winter storm, with search and rescue crews scouring the ground and medical personnel “standing ready”.
Watch below:
Seven dead passengers trapped inside plane
Saturday 8 February 2025 01:00
,
Mike Bedigan
In a post on X the Coast Guard said that all the passengers were dead, but that some were trapped inside the wreckage.
“The remaining 7 people are believed to be inside the aircraft but are currently inaccessible due to the condition of the plane,” USCG wrote.
“Our heartfelt condolences are with those affected by this tragic incident.”
#UPDATE (1/2) #USCG has ended its search for the missing plane after the aircraft was located approx. 34 miles southeast of Nome. 3 individuals were found inside and reported to be deceased. pic.twitter.com/XndzBYHdCE
— USCGAlaska (@USCGAlaska) February 8, 2025
'Every available resources' being used to find passengers
Saturday 8 February 2025 00:30
,
Mike Bedigan
Authorities are using “every available resource” to find the passengers of the missing Bering Air plane, and all the families have been notified. of
On Friday, Alaska State Trooper Lt. Ben Endres said all occupants were adults on a regularly scheduled commuter flight.
"To the families and loved ones of those that are missing, just know we are using every available resource and working closely with the other teams, and every request that we've made for federal or state assistance has been granted and we continue to move forward working with our partners," Endres said.
Saturday 8 February 2025 00:15
,
Mike Bedigan
A plane matching the one that went missing in Alaska with 10 aboard has been found, along with three bodies, authorities have confirmed.
The U.S. Coast Guard said the aircraft had been found approximately 34 miles southeast of of Nome. “Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic incident,” the USCG said.
Read the full story more here:
Breaking: All passengers on crashed plane in Alaska are dead, authorities say
Saturday 8 February 2025 00:11
,
Mike Bedigan
All 10 people aboard a small commuter plane that crashed in western Alaska are dead, the U.S. Coast Guard has said.
Watch: Major search launched as Bering Air plane goes missing in Alaska with 10 onboard
Saturday 8 February 2025 00:00
,
Mike Bedigan
Coast Guard confirms aircraft discovery
Friday 7 February 2025 23:46
,
Mike Bedigan
Breaking: Missing flight found, authorities say
Friday 7 February 2025 23:34
,
Mike Bedigan
A plane matching the one that went missing in Alaska with 10 aboard has been found, authorities say.
Three bodies were also found along with the aircraft, the Associated Press reported.
Alaska incident third U.S. aviation disaster in just over a week
Friday 7 February 2025 23:30
,
Mike Bedigan
The disappearance of the Bering flight is the third aviation disaster in 10 days.
A mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. military Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C., took the lives of 67 people last Wednesday.
Two days later, a medical jet crashed in Northeast Philadelphia, killing seven people, including all six passengers on board.
The National Transport Safety Board is investigating all three incidents.
Sub-zero conditions recorded at time of disappearance
Friday 7 February 2025 23:01
,
Mike Bedigan
Officials said that at the time of the flight’s disappearance, conditions were below zero in both the air and the sea.
Lt. Cmdr. Ben McIntyre-Coble told reporters on Friday that the air was about 3 degrees Fahrenheit, with a sea water temperature of about 29
