A Bering Air Cessna Caravan carrying nine passengers and one pilot crashed on sea ice near Nome, Alaska, leaving no survivors.
Search teams found the wreckage on Friday, approximately 34 miles southeast of Nome.
Three bodies were found in the forward section of the aircraft, while seven others "are believed to be inside the aircraft, which was inaccessible due to the condition of the plane," according to Coast Guard officials.
The flight departed Unalakleet on February 6 in the afternoon, heading for Nome about 225 kilometres away.
Roughly 40 minutes into the journey, radar data showed the aircraft suddenly lost altitude and speed.
No distress signals were received before the crash.
Weather conditions at the time included light snow, fog, and temperatures around -8.3 C.
Recovery efforts are now underway, though teams face challenges from worsening weather, including forecasted high winds and snowfall.
"The Coast Guard determined the severity of the wreckage was beyond the possibility of survival," officials said in a statement.
Two Coast Guard swimmers were lowered by helicopter to assess the crash site.
The tragedy prompted an outpouring of grief from Alaska's leadership.
"My heart is broken over the news out of Nome," said Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski.
"Alaska is a big, small town. When tragedy strikes, we're never far removed from the Alaskans directly impacted. But that also means we come together as a community to grieve and heal.”
Governor Mike Dunleavy and his wife expressed similar sentiments, saying they were "heartbroken by the loss of the ten people on the Bering Air flight."
The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the crash.
The crash is the third major U.S. aviation disaster in just over a week.
Nome and Unalakleet, which are not connected by highways, rely primarily on air transport for travel between the communities.