**All ten individuals aboard the Cessna Grand Caravan that crashed in Alaska have been confirmed dead, prompting an ongoing recovery operation and an investigation into the causes of the tragedy.**
**Tragic Plane Crash in Alaska Claims Lives of All 10 Onboard**
**Tragic Plane Crash in Alaska Claims Lives of All 10 Onboard**
**Investigation underway following Cessna Grand Caravan crash in Norton Sound**
Crews are working tirelessly to recover the bodies of ten individuals who tragically lost their lives in a recent plane crash in Alaska, according to officials involved in the incident. Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), stated that the investigation into the crash is still in its initial stages, making it premature to determine the factors that contributed to the accident.
The Cessna Grand Caravan, operated by regional airline Bering Air, was making a flight from Unalakleet to Nome on Thursday when it lost radar contact. There were nine passengers aboard, along with a pilot, when the aircraft went down in Norton Sound, located roughly 34 miles (55 km) southeast of Nome, a small coastal city in Alaska.
Among those killed were Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson, both of whom were employees of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. The organization revealed that the two were in Unalakleet for maintenance work on a local water plant. During a press conference in Anchorage, Ms. Homendy expressed her condolences to the families affected by this tragedy, emphasizing that recovery efforts remain a priority despite challenging weather conditions at the crash site.
Investigators noted that the wreckage has landed on a moving ice floe, which complicates recovery efforts as the floe shifts at a pace of five miles per day. Bering Air has also extended its condolences, expressing its commitment to cooperating with the investigation.
As the Nome volunteer fire department reported, the pilot had communicated with air traffic control about entering a holding pattern while awaiting runway clearance right before the aircraft experienced a significant loss of altitude and speed, leading to the crash. Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski and Governor Mike Dunleavy both extended their sympathies in reaction to the distressing incident, with Dunleavy expressing heartbreak over the event.
Unalakleet and Nome are situated about 150 miles apart, across Norton Sound, which is part of the Bering Sea along Alaska's western frontier.
The Cessna Grand Caravan, operated by regional airline Bering Air, was making a flight from Unalakleet to Nome on Thursday when it lost radar contact. There were nine passengers aboard, along with a pilot, when the aircraft went down in Norton Sound, located roughly 34 miles (55 km) southeast of Nome, a small coastal city in Alaska.
Among those killed were Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson, both of whom were employees of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. The organization revealed that the two were in Unalakleet for maintenance work on a local water plant. During a press conference in Anchorage, Ms. Homendy expressed her condolences to the families affected by this tragedy, emphasizing that recovery efforts remain a priority despite challenging weather conditions at the crash site.
Investigators noted that the wreckage has landed on a moving ice floe, which complicates recovery efforts as the floe shifts at a pace of five miles per day. Bering Air has also extended its condolences, expressing its commitment to cooperating with the investigation.
As the Nome volunteer fire department reported, the pilot had communicated with air traffic control about entering a holding pattern while awaiting runway clearance right before the aircraft experienced a significant loss of altitude and speed, leading to the crash. Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski and Governor Mike Dunleavy both extended their sympathies in reaction to the distressing incident, with Dunleavy expressing heartbreak over the event.
Unalakleet and Nome are situated about 150 miles apart, across Norton Sound, which is part of the Bering Sea along Alaska's western frontier.
