Plane with 10 onboard missing in western Alaska

A plane with 10 people onboard was reported missing late Thursday afternoon near Nome, Alaska's westernmost major city, according to officials.

Alaska State Troopers reported that the flight had nine passengers and one pilot onboard, adding that they were contacted by the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center at 4pm (1am GMT Friday) regarding the missing plane.

The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft owned by Bering Air was reported to have been flying from Unalakleet to Nome, according to the Nome Volunteer Fire Department.

Data from FlightRadar shows the flight last reported information at 3:16pm over Norton Sound.

The White Mountain fire chief, Jack Adams, said that the plane disappeared from the radar somewhere along the coast of Nome to Topkok.

Rescuers were actively searching a roughly 30-mile (50-km) stretch in that area, according to Adams.

"If they don't find anything, we'll probably rally another crew to go and help," he said.

The Nome Volunteer Fire Department asked the public not to form individual search parties due to weather and safety concerns.

The Coast Guard is scoping out the area and the C-130 will be flying in a grid pattern in attempts to locate the missing place, the department said on its social page.