NOME, ALASKA – All 10 victims aboard the Bering Air Flight 445 that went missing on Thursday have been recovered, according to the Nome Volunteer Fire Department. Recovery efforts were conducted over two days, with the final seven victims being found on Saturday.
The wreckage of the Cessna 208 Caravan was located on an ice floe, complicating recovery efforts as the crash site drifts approximately 5 miles per day, according to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chair Jennifer Homendy.
Victims of the Crash Identified
Alaska State Troopers released the names of the pilot and passengers on Saturday night:
- Pilot: Chad Antill, 34, of Nome
- Passengers:
- Liane Ryan, 52, of Wasilla
- Donnell Erickson, 58, of Nome
- Andrew Gonzalez, 30, of Wasilla
- Kameron Hartvigson, 41, of Anchorage
- Rhone Baumgartner, 46, of Anchorage
- Jadee Moncur, 52, of Eagle River
- Ian Hofmann, 45, of Anchorage
- Talaluk Katchatag, 34, of Unalakleet
- Carol Mooers, 48, of Unalakleet
The victims’ remains were brought to Nome and are being transported to the Alaska State Medical Examiner’s Office in Anchorage for autopsies.
Investigation and Recovery Efforts
The NTSB’s immediate priority was victim recovery, but efforts will now shift toward recovering the wreckage of the aircraft.
Challenges Facing the Recovery Operation:
- The crash site’s mobility on an ice floe moving 5 miles daily
- Snowfall in the area, which is expected to hinder recovery operations
Jennifer Homendy, NTSB chair, emphasized the significance of the investigation for Alaska’s aviation community:
“The NTSB knows that villages like Nome and Alaska aviation are tight-knit communities, so this tragedy affects so many. Please know that we will work diligently to determine how this happened with the ultimate goal of improving safety here in Alaska and across the United States.”
Possible Causes Under Investigation
The Bering Air Caravan experienced a rapid loss of altitude and speed on its way to Nome, prompting a Coast Guard search and rescue operation. However, investigators face a challenge as the aircraft was not equipped with voice or data recorders, which are not required for this type of aircraft.
- Investigators are now searching for other avionic components that could provide electronic data to help determine the cause of the crash.
Recent Aviation Incidents in the U.S.
The Nome crash is the third major U.S. aviation incident within an eight-day period:
- Jan. 29: An American Eagle flight and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., killing all 67 people aboard the two aircraft.
- Jan. 31: A medical transportation plane crashed in Philadelphia, killing six people on board and one person on the ground.
The tragedy of Bering Air Flight 445 has deeply impacted the tight-knit aviation community in Alaska. While recovery efforts have concluded for the victims, the NTSB investigation will continue as officials work to uncover the cause of the crash and improve future aviation safety.
