Gerard van der Schaaf, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Authorities are conducting an extensive search for a Bering Air flight that went missing en route from Unalakleet to Nome, Alaska, on Thursday, February 6, 2025.
The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, carrying nine passengers and one pilot, was scheduled to land in Nome at approximately 4:20 p.m. local time but failed to arrive.
The aircraft departed Unalakleet Airport at 2:37 p.m.
According to flight tracking data, its last recorded position was at 3:16 p.m., approximately 12 miles offshore over Norton Sound, at an altitude of about 5,300 feet.
Search and rescue operations are being led by the Alaska State Troopers, with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard and the Alaska National Guard.
Efforts include both aerial and ground searches; however, adverse weather conditions and limited visibility have significantly hindered aerial reconnaissance.
The Nome Volunteer Fire Department has initiated ground searches from Nome and White Mountain but advises the public against forming independent search parties due to safety concerns.
Medical teams from the Norton Sound Health Corporation are on standby to provide assistance to potential survivors. As of early Friday, February 7, the aircraft is officially listed as “overdue,” with no confirmation of a crash or accident.
Bering Air, the operator of the missing flight, is a regional airline based in Nome, Alaska, providing scheduled passenger and cargo services to over 30 communities in the region.
The search operation is ongoing, with authorities urging the public to refrain from participating due to the hazardous weather conditions.
Families of the missing individuals are encouraged to seek support from local organizations.
