A Bering Air flight carrying 10 people has reportedly disappeared from radar near Nome, Alaska, prompting a large-scale search operation. The missing aircraft, identified as Bering Air Flight 445, was a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan with nine passengers and one pilot on board.

According to BNO News, the aircraft took off from Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m. local time and was last tracked at approximately 3:16 p.m. over the Norton Sound area of the Bering Sea. The flight was en route to Nome, a city situated about 535 miles northwest of Anchorage.

The Nome Volunteer Fire Department suggested that adverse weather conditions and low visibility might have played a role in the aircraft’s disappearance. Medics from Norton Sound Health Corporation have been placed on standby in case of a crash scenario.

Alaska State Troopers confirmed the incident in an official statement, reporting that they were contacted by the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center (AKRCC) at around 4:00 p.m. regarding the overdue aircraft. “It was reported that a Bering Air Caravan had gone missing while en route from Unalakleet to Nome, with nine passengers and one pilot on board. Search and rescue (SAR) crews are working to reach the last known coordinates. Updates to follow,” the statement read.

A ground search effort has been launched to locate possible wreckage. Air support has been hindered by inclement weather and icing conditions, according to a spokesperson from the tribal non-profit Kawerak, Danielle Sem. “Right now, air support is not available because of the weather and icing, so we’re conducting a ground search,” Sem told Alaska Public Media News.

The incident comes amid a series of recent aviation tragedies. Hours earlier, a US-contracted surveillance plane crashed in Maguindanao del Sur, Philippines, killing all four personnel on board, including a US military service member. Additionally, last week, a US Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet near Washington’s Reagan Airport, resulting in 67 fatalities.