None of the 10 occupants of a Textron Aviation Cessna 208B Caravan has survived after the aircraft crashed en route to Nome in Alaska.
The aircraft, operated by Bering Air out, had been flying from Unalakleet but was declared overdue at Nome on 6 February.
US Coast Guard aircraft and helicopters led a search for the missing aircraft, whose transponder had given its last known position over Norton Sound, an inlet of the Bering Sea.
The Coast Guard states that it has ended its search after the aircraft was discovered about 34 miles (55km) southeast of Nome.
Nine passengers and a pilot had been on board. The Coast Guard reports at least three fatalities inside the Cessna wreckage, and the remaining seven occupants are “believed to be inside” but are “currently inaccessible due to the condition of the [aircraft]”.
The Cessna, located on an uneven area of snow and ice, was substantially damaged by the accident but the Coast Guard says the cause is “unknown”.
It has identified the Caravan as N321BA. The aircraft, built in 2020, is powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-140 turboprop.
Bering Air operates several of the type on regional services across Alaska.
The carrier says that, according to authorities on the scene, there were no survivors of the crash.
“We remain committed to supporting the authorities and any ongoing efforts to provide assistance,” it states.
US National Transportation Safety Board investigators state that they have initiated an inquiry into the crash.
