Authorities have recovered and identified all Alaska plane crash victims from the Bering Air flight that went down off western Alaska’s coast. In a Facebook post, the Nome Volunteer Fire Department confirmed that recovery teams had returned all the victims home.
The small commuter aircraft carrying nine passengers and one pilot took off from Unalakleet on Thursday afternoon, bound for Nome. It disappeared during the flight, and search crews found the wreckage 34 miles southeast of Nome on Friday.
Officials declared all 10 people dead. Alaska State Troopers identified the victims as Liane Ryan, who was 52, and Donnell Erickson, 58 years old. 30-year-old Andrew Gonzalez; Kameron Hartvigson, 41; Rhone Baumgartner, 46, along with 52-year-old Jadee Moncur; Ian Hofmann, 45, Talaluk Katchatag, 34, and Carol Mooers, 48.
The aircraft’s wreckage sits on unstable sea ice, making recovery operations difficult. The Nome Volunteer Fire Department said teams will recover the wreckage once conditions improve. A winter weather advisory remains in effect until Sunday night, with strong wind and heavy snow expected.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating how the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan rapidly lost altitude and speed. Officials are analyzing air traffic control data and reviewing weather conditions from the day of the crash.
An FAA camera in Nome recorded near whiteout conditions during the incident. The pilot had informed Anchorage Air Traffic Control that he planned to hold until the runway cleared. The aircraft’s emergency transmitter did not send a distress signal before impact.
The crash devastated Nome and Unalakleet, where small planes are essential transportation. At a vigil, residents shared their grief and comforted one another. “I extend our collective condolences and support to the families and loved ones of the passengers and pilot and the others in our big Alaska family who are also impacted by this tragic occurrence,” stated Nome’s Mayor, John Handeland.
