This story is from our coverage of Bering Air flight 445. Our stories, as the situation developed, are listed below.
The Alaska State Troopers released the names Saturday of the ten victims who died in the crash of Bering Air flight 445. The plane was flying from Unalakleet to Nome when it crashed Thursday. The passengers were all adults. Several were from Southcentral Alaska, two were from Unalakleet and the pilot and one passenger were from Nome.
Next of kin have been notified. The bodies will be transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Anchorage for autopsies.
The names of the crash victims are listed below:
- 34-year-old Chad Antill of Nome (pilot)
- 52-year-old Liane Ryan of Wasilla
- 58-year-old Donnell Erickson of Nome
- 30-year-old Andrew Gonzalez of Wasilla
- 41-year-old Kameron Hartvigson of Anchorage
- 46-year-old Rhone Baumgartner of Anchorage
- 52-year-old Jadee Moncur of Eagle River
- 45-year-old Ian Hofmann of Anchorage
- 34-year-old Talaluk Katchatag of Unalakleet
- 48-year-old Carol Mooers of Unalakleet
The Alaska State Troopers said HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, a Nome-based UH-60L Black Hawk, an HC -130J Combat King II and a team of pararescuemen recovered the victims.
Responders are still working to recover the airplane from the ice floe.
National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy traveled to Alaska to oversee the investigation. She spoke with reporters at a press briefing in Anchorage Saturday.
“We do have a short window where we have weather, bad weather coming in, some snow. Please understand that (these are) some difficult conditions, because this is on an ice floe, which is moving about five miles a day,” Homendy said.
Homendy was joined at the briefing by Timothy Sorensen Sr., a senior official with the NTSB who will lead the investigation. Homendy said it was too early to speculate on the cause of the fatal accident and plans to travel to Nome to get a better understanding.
“What we want to do is get that wreckage so that we can examine it ourselves,” Homendy said.
Bering Air President Russell Rowe confirmed that officials with the National Transportation Safety Board, Alaska State Troopers and a salvage expert were flown to the scene Saturday morning.
“They are on scene right now working on the recovery process,” Rowe said.
A meteorologist from the National Weather Service has arrived to help with forecasting. Nome Volunteer Fire Department chief Jim West Jr. said midday Saturday that winds were picking up, and the window is closing to complete a recovery before bad weather arrives.
“They have probably until 5 to 6 tonight to have that completely done,” West said. “They didn't want to wait with the impending storm, weather conditions. Anything could happen with that ice.”
The plan, according to West, was to remove the airplane’s wings, recover the victims, and separate the fuselage and tail sections. Then each piece would be ferried by helicopter to Nome.
West said the aircraft has drifted as much as 10 miles to the southeast on an ice pan, complicating recovery efforts. He said crews were able to reactivate the aircraft’s transponder so it can be located faster.
Saturday morning, Bering Air posted a message to its website acknowledging the crash:
“At this incredibly difficult time, Bering Air would like to express our deepest gratitude for the overwhelming support we have received. The tragic accident that occurred on February 6, 2025, has shaken us all to our core. This has been an unprecedented event for both our team and our customers, and we are truly heartbroken by the loss.”
Rowe also confirmed that the airline resumed commercial operations on Saturday.
Bering Air set up toll-free lines for those with loved ones aboard the flight. They can be reached at 888-637-9429, or locally at 267-936-0837.
