Rescue teams in Alaska are fighting to recover the remains of ten victims from a deadly plane crash before a looming storm complicates efforts.
Authorities have now identified two of the victims as employees of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC).
The Bering Air plane, which was carrying ten people, vanished on Thursday (February 6) while flying through a storm in rural Alaska.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed on Friday that the aircraft was found approximately 34 miles southeast of Nome, with no survivors.
The plane departed for Nome from Unalakleet at 2:37PM, but within an hour, contact with air traffic control was lost.
A search was immediately launched and authorities have now confirmed that the wreckage of the plane has been located.
Coast Guard spokesperson Mike Salerno said that the plane was located by rescue crews searching the aircraft’s last known location with helicopters, before lowering two swimmers down to investigate.
The divers identified three bodies inside the plane, believing the seven others are inside the wreckage but inaccessible at this time due to the condition of the aircraft, according to the US Coast Guard Alaska.
The USCG Alaska shared on X (formerly Twitter): “USCG has ended its search for the missing plane after the aircraft was located approx. 34 miles southeast of Nome. 3 individuals were found inside and reported to be deceased.
“The remaining 7 people are believed to be inside the aircraft but are currently inaccessible due to the condition of the plane. Our heartfelt condolences are with those affected by this tragic incident.”
Rescue teams are preparing to use a Black Hawk helicopter to lift the wreckage from the ice before treacherous weather moves in. The National Weather Service has warned that conditions will be “difficult” throughout Saturday.
“It’s slushy, young ice. It’s not stable,” Nome Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jim West said, per The Independent.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are en route to determine what led to the tragic crash — the third major air disaster in the U.S. this year, following accidents in Washington and Philadelphia.
Among the victims are Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson, both employed in utility operations for ANTHC. The organization confirmed the pair had traveled to Unalakleet to service a heating system at a water plant.
“Rhone Baumgartner and Kameron Hartvigson were passionate about the work they did, cared deeply for the communities they served, and made a lasting impact on rural communities across our state,” ANTHC interim president Natasha Singh said in a statement to Alaska’s News Source.
“They gave the ultimate sacrifice for the people we serve in the work we do,” she continued. “Everyone at ANTHC feels a sense of shock and loss because they were so crucial to our Rural Energy and Tribal Support teams. My thoughts are with their families, the people who worked alongside them day in and day out, and for everyone else who lost a loved one today.”
AP is reporting at this time that all 10 passengers lost their lives in the incident.
As investigators piece together what went wrong, recovery crews are racing against the clock, hoping to complete their efforts before nature throws yet another obstacle in their path.
Our thoughts go out to every person impacted by this tragedy.
