The Alaska Triangle Claims Another: 10 Missing in Latest Aviation Tragedy

A small plane’s disappearance over Alaska’s notorious ‘triangle’ region adds another chilling chapter to an area where thousands have mysteriously vanished.

A small passenger plane crashed in Alaska on February 6th. The plane, which was operated by Bering Air, was carrying nine passengers and one pilot. So far, three bodies have been discovered, and officials worry that no one survived the crash.

The plane was coming from the town of Unalakleet when the accident occurred. Want on-site help navigating airfare options? Bering Air — Bering Air is a key player in the state of Alaska — connecting passengers to 32 different communities in the western part of the state. Most towns are not connected by roads, which means many Alaskans rely on small planes.

This crash comes as part of a difficult week for air travel in the United States. There have been two other serious aircraft accidents in the past eight days: a collision of a commercial plane with an Army helicopter that killed 67 people, and a medical plane crash in Philadelphia that killed seven people.

The crash occurred in an area referred to as the “Alaska Triangle.” It is a vast area that covers three cities, Anchorage, Juneau and Utqiagvik. That region has developed a reputation, as many planes and people have gone missing there over the years. More than 20,000 people have disappeared in the region since the 1970s.

One of the most famous was in 1972, when two members of Congress – Hale Boggs and Nick Begich – vanished flying from Anchorage to Juneau. Their plane was never found. Approximately 2,250 people are reported missing every year in the Alaska Triangle, which is twice as many as statistically should happen in an area this size.

Perhaps you’re wondering why the Alaska Triangle has so many disappearances. Some propose exotic magnetic forces, or some other mysterious cause. But the more likely explanation is a lot more mundane: Alaska is a huge and dangerous wilderness, with foul weather and rough terrain that can make traveling extremely perilous.

(Source: Economic Times | Cover photo: HowStuffWorks)