A commercial plane with ten people on board disappeared in Alaska while flying over the Norton Strait
A Cessna Caravan plane with Ten people aboard The afternoon of Thursday disappeared while flying over the Norton Straitin the northwest of Alaskawhich has unleashed a wide search and rescue operation in adverse climatic conditions.
He Alaska Public Security Department He informed that the company’s aircraft Bering Air It started from Unalakleet destined to Nome at 2:37 pm local time. Less than an hour later, contact with the plane was lost when he was some 19 kilometers from the coastaccording to the US Coast Guard.
Emergency teams work to locate the aircraft in the area where its last signal was recorded.
He Nome Volunteer Fire Department He informed that land units are patrolling the coast between Nome and Topkokwhile the aerial search has been limited by the difficult weather conditionswith Light snow, fog and temperatures of -8.3 ° C (17 ° F) in the area.
“Bring Air staff is working hard to obtain details and coordinate emergency assistance and search and rescue operations”he declared David Olsonairline operations director.
The authorities have asked the population that Do not organize your own rescue missionsdue to the dangers that represent climate and reduced visibility.
The authorities continue with the search work to determine the location of the missing plane and the state of their occupants. So far, people’s names on board have not been disclosed.
The community of Unalakleetwith a population of approximately 690 inhabitantsit is at 240 kilometers southeast of Nome already 640 kilometers northwest of Anchorage.
In this region of Alaska, the airplanes are the main means of transportespecially in winter, when terrain conditions hinder terrestrial displacements.
Bering Air, who operates flights to 32 remote communitiesoffers regular services between Nome, Kotzebue and Unalakleet.
The disappearance of the plane in Alaska joins a series of Recent air accidents In the United States.
He January 29a commercial plane and a US Army helicopter They collided near Washington, DCcausing the death of 67 people.
Two days later, a plane From the Mexican company Jet Rescuespecializing in air ambulances, crashed near Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman Avenue, in Philadelphiaaccording to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The accident caused the death of seven peopleincluding six Mexicans, and left 19 injured.
(With information from AFP and The Associated Press)
