Authorities are searching for a Bering Air Cessna Caravan passenger plane with 10 people on board that was reported missing en route from Unalakleet to Nome, Alaska.

The Alaska Department of Public Safety confirmed the missing aircraft, which carried nine passengers and one pilot.

The agency stated on its website that crews are working to determine the plane's last known coordinates.  The small turboprop aircraft departed Unalakleet at 2:38 PM local time (23:38 GMT) on Thursday. The flight to Nome typically takes less than an hour.

Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 received the plane's last recorded position 38 minutes after takeoff, while it was flying over water.  

Alaska experiences a disproportionately high number of air taxi and commuter plane accidents compared to other U.S. states, according to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. The state's mountainous terrain, challenging weather conditions, and the reliance on small planes for transportation between remote, roadless villages contribute to the increased risk.  

Bering Air, the airline operating the missing flight, is an Alaska-based regional carrier with a fleet of approximately 39 planes and helicopters, according to FlightRadar24 data.  The airline has not yet responded to requests for comment. (ILKHA)