The United States Coast Guard says it has found debris matching the Bering Air plane that went missing outside Nome, Alaska.
“#USCG has located an aircraft matching the description of the missing plane approx. 34 miles southeast of of Nome. 3 individuals were found inside and reported to be deceased. Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic incident,” U.S. Coast Guard Alaska posted on X Friday, Jan. 7.
The photo that accompanied the post showed two rescuers walking in the snow amid the plane wreckage, where the wing and tail were seen visible.
While the Coast Guard discovered three bodies, it’s unknown what happened to the other seven passengers.
According to the Associated Press, Cameron Snell, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard, said crews had not been able to fully open the plane and were continuing to search. “Right now we just know that there’s three.”
PEOPLE reached out to the U.S. Coast Guard Friday afternoon for comment.
The Bering Air Caravan flight was reported overdue at around 4 p.m. local time on Thursday, Feb. 6 while heading from Unalakleet to Nome, according to a previous statement from the Alaska Department of Public Safety (DPS).
Authorities announced at a press conference on Friday, Feb. 7 that the aircraft experienced an event around 3:18 p.m. that caused the plane to lose elevation and speed.
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The plane’s last known position was “in the vicinity of Norton Sound, approximately 30 miles southeast of Nome,” the U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release on Friday, Feb. 7.
The aircraft was 12 miles offshore at the time of the incident, the U.S. Coast Guard added in a thread on X.
The Nome Volunteer Fire Department (NVFD) said “the pilot of the plane told Anchorage Air Traffic Control that he intended to enter a holding pattern while waiting for the runway to be clear.”
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Authorities have not released additional details about the crash or the victims.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is assisting with the investigation into the crash, authorities said at Friday’s press conference.
This story is developing.
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