Investigators informed CBS News transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave on Saturday that the plane does not possess voice or data recorders because they are not mandatory. Once the victims are retrieved, authorities will comb through other avionic components that house electronic data, potentially providing insight into the circumstances surrounding the crash. The Bering Air Caravan, which disappeared on its route to Nome on February 6, encountered a sudden drop in altitude and speed, prompting the Coast Guard to initiate a search and rescue operation, as mentioned by officials earlier. This marked the third significant aviation incident in the United States within an eight-day span. On January 29, an American Eagle flight and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided and crashed into the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., resulting in the tragic loss of all 67 individuals aboard the two aircraft. Subsequently, a medical transportation plane crashed in Philadelphia on January 31, claiming the lives of the six occupants on board and an additional individual on the ground. The search continues for the plane that went missing off the coast of Alaska with 10 individuals on board. Additionally, learn how a Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory could potentially net NBA’s Pat Riley a substantial sum of money, and discover the ongoing efforts of locals striving to preserve a pivotal polar bear habitat.
