A missing plane has been found in Alaska, with all 10 passengers on board having died.
The Cessna Caravan had left Unalakleet at around 2.37PM on Thursday, heading for Nome, around 150 miles away.
The aircraft, which was carrying nine passengers and one pilot, lost contact with officials less than an hour later.
A search was immediately launched and authorities have now confirmed that the wreckage of the plane has been located.
Coast Guard spokesperson Mike Salerno said that the plane was located by rescue crews searching the aircraft's last known location with helicopters, before lowering two swimmers down to investigate.
The divers identified three bodies inside the plane, believing the seven others are inside the wreckage but inaccessible at this time due to the condition of the aircraft, according to the US Coast Guard Alaska.
The USCG Alaska shared on X (formerly Twitter): "USCG has ended its search for the missing plane after the aircraft was located approx. 34 miles southeast of Nome. 3 individuals were found inside and reported to be deceased.
"The remaining 7 people are believed to be inside the aircraft but are currently inaccessible due to the condition of the plane. Our heartfelt condolences are with those affected by this tragic incident."
It shared a photo of rescuers examining the wreckage, with the plane being seen crumpled after hitting the ice.
Authorities are currently working to recover the wreckage from the sea ice before a storm is expected to hit the area over the weekend.
Jim West, chief of the Nome Volunteer Fire Department, said on Friday (as cited by the New York Post: "The conditions out there are dynamic, so we’ve got to do it safely in the fastest way we can."
Officials had earlier stated that the plane had experienced a "rapid loss" in elevation and speed at around 3.18PM on Thursday before it disappeared.
US Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble said on Friday, before the wreckage was found: "[It had] some kind of event which caused them to experience a rapid loss in elevation and a rapid loss in speed. What that event is, I can’t speculate to."
The single-engine plane had been at maximum capacity when it disappeared over Alaska's Norton Sound, and about 12 miles off shore, according to the state Department of Public Safety.
All of the passengers on board are known to be adults, but their identities have yet to be released.
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The crash marks the third major US aviation tragedy in a week, following a crash between an American Airlines passenger jet carrying 64 people, which collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter that had three soldiers on board, killing all 67.
Just two days later, an air ambulance carrying six people crashed in Philadelphia crashed into a busy neighborhood, killing everyone on board and one person on the ground.
Our thoughts remain with all those affected by this latest tragedy.