Ten confirmed dead in Bering accident

Crews are still working to restore the bodies of 10 people killed in Alaska plane crash, employees said.

Jennifer Homidi, chairman of the National Transport Safety Council, said the investigation of the crash was in his “early stages” and it was too early to say what caused him.

The Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft, run by the regional operator Bering Air, traveled from Unalakleet to Nome on Thursday when he lost radar contact.

Nine passengers and pilot were aboard the plane when it came down to Norton a sound about 34 miles (55 km) southeast of a nom, a city with about 3500 on the west coast of Alaska.

Among the dead were Rona Baumgartner and Cameron Hartwigson, two employees of the Local Triman Consortium in Alaska.

They had traveled to Unalaklati to carry out water factory maintenance, the non -profit organization announced on Friday.

Homendy said nine investigators are in place, supported by specialists in Washington.

“Recovery efforts are still underway, with the priority being the recovery of the victims,” ​​she said during a press conference in Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska.

“I would like to take a moment and spend my deepest condolences to people who have lost loved ones in this tragedy,” she said.

Homendy said that recovery workers are dealing with a deterioration of weather conditions and that the remains are landed on an ice flag that moves at five miles a day.

In a statement Bering Air, which manages commercial and charter flights, expressed his condolences and said he would cooperate with the investigation into the crash.

Alaska state troops said it had been notified of a “overdue” plane at 16:00 local time on Thursday (01:00 GMT).

NOME’s volunteer fire service said the pilot told the air traffic controllers that “he intends to enter a detention model while waiting for the track to be cleared.”

Later, the US Coast Guard said the aircraft had suffered a rapid loss of altitude and speed before contact was lost.

The shots showed low visibility in the area around the crash.

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkovski shared her condolences after the incident.

“Alaska is a big small town. When the tragedy is old, we are never far from Alaski, directly affected,” she wrote online.

Alaska Governor Mike Dunlevi said he was “broken by the heart” by the disappearance of the flight.

“Our prayers are with the passengers, the pilot and their relatives during this difficult time,” he said.

Unakleet and Nome are about 150 miles from each other through Norton Sound, the entrance to the Bering Sea on the west coast of Alaska.