An American plane carrying 10 people went missing over Alaska
Alaska: Authorities say a search and rescue effort was launched after an aircraft carrying ten passengers vanished over Alaska.
The aircraft, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan flown by Bering Air, vanished Thursday at around 4 p.m. local time while traveling from Unalakleet to Nome, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety. There was one pilot and nine passengers on board.
According to KTUU, flight records show that the aircraft left Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m. and last sent data over the Norton Sound region at 3:16 p.m. To get to the last known coordinates, search teams are working.
A ground search from Nome and White Mountain was reported by the Nome Volunteer Fire Department. Officials said people were cautioned against organizing their own search teams and that aviation searches were restricted due to bad weather and visibility.
With a plane accident in Philadelphia killing four people and a mid-air collision between a military aircraft and a jet in Washington, DC, killing 67, the tragedy comes after a terrible week in aviation.
About 690 people live in the western Alaskan town of Unalakleet, which is situated 395 miles northwest of Anchorage and 150 miles southeast of Nome. The 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race ends at Nome, which is situated just south of the Arctic Circle.
