Passenger plane disappears over Alaska, search ongoing

Shafaq News/ A Cessna plane with 10 people on board disappeared near Nome City, Alaska, on Thursday afternoon, according to US media.

The plane, operated by Bering Air, was traveling from Unalakleet to Nome, two western Alaskan cities separated by Norton Sound, according to the Alaska State Troopers.

At 4 p.m. Thursday, the state police were alerted about an "overdue aircraft" that had gone missing with nine passengers and a pilot aboard, as stated in a dispatch message posted on their website.

The Nome Volunteer Fire Department affirmed that it was actively conducting ground searches from Nome and White Mountain but was facing challenges in aerial searches due to bad weather and poor visibility. The US Coast Guard and US Air Force have joined the effort, with plans for flights to survey the area and search for the missing aircraft.

“The plane’s exact location is still unknown. We continue to expand search efforts to as many avenues as possible until the plane is located,” the department noted, advising the public against organizing their own search groups due to safety concerns and challenging weather conditions.