USCG finds wrecked plane

UPDATE: NVFD Chief Jim West Jr said the Nome SAR is spooling up to three volunteers and tools to recover the bodies. A Black Hawk is going to fly them out to the wreckage which was reported by the USCG to be 34 miles southeast of Nome.

The U.S. Coast Guard found the wreck of the Bering Air caravan that went missing Thursday afternoon on its flight from Unalakleet to Nome.

The Coast Guard announced on X that they found the plane approx. 34 miles southeast of Nome. “Three individuals were found inside and reported to be deceased. Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic incident.”

Lt. Cmdr. Mike Salerno said in a phone call with the Nugget that the Coast Guard helicopter found the wreckage on the sea ice. The helicopter lowered two rescue swimmers down to investigate. “the rescue swimmers could see several deceased bodies in the forward part of the wreckage, but the remaining portions of the wreckage were too damaged to see into.” He said the plane was so damaged that they ruled out any possibility of survival.

The Coast Guard is not involved in the recovery.

The plane went missing yesterday, Thursday February 6 and had its last known contact at 3:18 p.m.

We are not posting the photo of the wreckage to spare families of the victims additional pain.