Alaska: A small plane carrying ten passengers and a pilot went missing while in flight over Alaska on Thursday, prompting an extensive search operation, authorities said.
According to the Associated Press (AP), the Alaska Department of Public Safety reported that a Bering Air plane disappeared around 4 p.m. while flying from Unalakleet to Nome.
Officials said they are assessing the last known location where communication was established with the aircraft.
David Olson, Bering Air’s operations chief, stated that the plane took off from Unalakleet at approximately 2:37 p.m. and lost contact roughly 30 minutes into its journey.
Bering Air staff are actively gathering information and coordinating emergency response efforts.
The U.S. Coast Guard reported that the aircraft was flying at an altitude of approximately 19,000 kilometers when it vanished.
Bering Air operates services across 32 locations in western Alaska, with up to two daily flights in many regions.
The Alaska Department of Public Safety stated that adverse weather conditions have prevented aerial surveillance but confirmed that search efforts are ongoing.
The search operation involves multiple agencies, including the National Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard, along with local authorities.
Meanwhile, in a separate aviation incident, two people were killed when a small plane crashed into a bus on a busy road in São Paulo, Brazil.
Local authorities reported that the crash occurred in a densely populated area, leading to a swift emergency response. Investigations into the cause of the accident are currently underway.
