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by IANS |
San Francisco, Feb 7 (IANS) A plane with 10 people onboard was reported missing near Nome, Alaska's westernmost major city, according to officials.
Alaska State Troopers reported that the flight had nine passengers and one pilot onboard, adding that they were contacted by the Alaska Rescue Coordination Centre at 4 p.m. (0100 GMT Friday) regarding the missing plane.
The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft owned by Bering Air was reported to have been flying from Unalakleet to Nome, according to the Nome Volunteer Fire Department.
Data from FlightRadar shows the flight last reported information at 3:16 p.m. over Norton Sound.
The White Mountain fire chief, Jack Adams, said that the plane disappeared from the radar somewhere along the coast of Nome to Topkok.
Rescuers were actively searching a roughly 30-mile (50-km) stretch in that area, according to Adams.
"If they don't find anything, we'll probably rally another crew to go and help," he said.
The Nome Volunteer Fire Department asked the public not to form individual search parties due to weather and safety concerns, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Coast Guard is scoping out the area and the C-130 will be flying in a grid pattern in attempts to locate the missing place, the department said on its social page.
Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska shared information regarding the incident on Facebook, stating: “We are receiving reports of a potential missing aircraft on its way to Nome. Our thoughts and prayers are with the passengers, their families, and the rescue team.”
The search for the aircraft is taking place as US air safety investigators are still examining two tragic events from recent weeks. These include a midair collision involving a Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger jet near Washington, DC, which resulted in the loss of 67 lives, as well as the crash of a medevac jet in Philadelphia that claimed the lives of seven individuals.
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