No survivors have been confirmed by the authorities after recovery of a small plane wreck that vanished with 10 people on board while flying over Alaska. This incident comes in as the third of its kind, majorly involving aviation calamities within a week in the United States. 10 presumed dead after missing Cessna 208B Grand Caravan found in Alaska plane.
- Alaska Plane Crash: Wreckage of missing aircraft found near Nome; no survivors reported.
Search within Wreckage Nearest Nome
The remains of an aircraft to be positively identified were found by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) near Nome last Friday. This is approximately 885 kilometers (550 miles) northwest of Anchorage. Alert Coast Guard spokesperson Mike Salerno told reporters at a press briefing that personnel made two approaches to the site’s crash site and viewed three bodies inside.
“What we can say is that it does not seem to be a survivable crash,” Salerno ascertained.
State and National Leaders Comfort Grieving Families
The deep sadness over the incident was echoed by the Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, who said that he and his wife are “heartbroken.”
Dunleavy added on his X account that, “Our prayers are with the families, friends, and communities mourning this tragedy.” “We are grateful that so many search teams worked tirelessly to find the aircraft and I encourage all Alaskans to keep those affected in their thoughts and prayers.”
In the same vein, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski also offered sympathy, clearly describing how interconnected the state’s communities are.
“Alaska is a big small town. When tragedy strikes, we’re never far removed from the Alaskans directly impacted. But that also means we come together as a community to grieve and heal,” Murkowski said on X.
Details of the Aircraft and Conditions of the Crash Induced
The unfortunate aircraft, privately operated Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, had aboard nine passengers and one pilot. It went out of contact late Thursday afternoon when it was en route from Unalakleet to Nome. The last known radar location of the plane was hovering at a stretch of water about 50 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of Nome.
A Series of Air Ruins in the USA
The ongoing tragedy is preceded by two other catastrophic aviation accidents happening earlier in the week:
- January 28: A midair collision between a regional commercial jetliner and a US Army helicopter occurred on January 28 near Washington, DC. Seventy-seven people died.
- January 30: A medical transport airplane crashed into a neighborhood in Philadelphia on January 30, killing all six people on board and one other on the ground.
The many crashes have brought up serious debates over air travel safety and inquiries by federal authorities into the series of crashes.
Families and other loved ones, still in mourning, are now left with yet another serious aviation tragedy while recovery efforts continue in Alaska.
