9 a.m. Update:

The search continues Wednesday morning for an ambulance aircraft with Guardian Flight which went missing Tuesday evening after failing to reach its scheduled destination in Kake.

Chief Charly Hengen with the U.S. Coast Guard public affairs office told KTUU early Wednesday that more crews are coming in to assist in the search in addition to the search personnel mobilized yesterday who would again be participating in the efforts.

"We're still conducting the search this morning. So far there are no reports of the aircraft being found from last night or into this morning," Hengen said.

The search is being conducted near the last known position of the aircraft, though USCG officials reported that the electronic locating transmitter on the aircraft is not broadcasting.

The additional search units come from the Kake search and rescue team, Alaska State Troopers, Petersburg search and rescue, Alaska Air National Guard, and multiple U.S. Coast Guard cutters.

“With the assistance of our state and local partners and good Samaritan vessels, we will continue to search for the missing aircraft and individuals,” said Capt. Stephen White, Sector Juneau commander. “We have several Coast Guard assets diligently searching along with the invaluable assistance of the other rescue and volunteers, and we greatly appreciate their help.”

Guardian Flight initiated a stand down of the company's Alaska fleet until updates on the search are available, according to a post made on the company's Facebook page.

12:51AM CT January 30th 2019 Update

Original Story:

An aircraft with Guardian Flight air ambulance service is missing and a search is now underway, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The flight was en route from Anchorage to Kake Tuesday evening, but did not arrive as scheduled.

The Coast Guard says its watchstanders in Juneau received notification from Sitka Flight Services that a Guardian Flight King Air 200 medical life flight was expected to land in Kake at 6:19 p.m., but the aircraft never landed.

Coast Guard officials say there are three people on board, and search crews are looking in an area about 20 miles west of Kake.

The Coast Guard Cutter Anacapa is conducting the search near the last known position of the aircraft. Good Samaritan vessels are also searching the area, along with a Coast Guard helicopter based in Sitka.

“Coast Guard crews are diligently searching for the missing aircraft and individuals,” said Lt j.g. Colin McClelland, Coast Guard Sector Juneau command duty officer. “We appreciate the assistance of the good Samaritan vessels and we hope we locate the aircraft and people soon.”

In a written statement Tuesday night, Randy Lyman, Senior Vice President of Operations for the company wrote "The Guardian Flight family is devastated to report that a company aircraft flying from Anchorage to Kake, Alaska has been reported missing".

The company said three Guardian Flight employees, a pilot, nurse, and paramedic, were aboard the twin-engine plane.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to our fellow employees and their families during this very trying time" wrote Lyman, who added that Guardian Flight has initiated a stand down of the company's entire fleet until further information is available.

Guardian Flight also said it will be cooperating fully with the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration during the investigation.

The Coast Guard said weather in the area was reported as light rain with overcast skies, 10 miles visibility, 7 mph winds and an air temperature of 36 degrees.

This is a developing story. Check KTUU.com and Channel 2 News for updates.

</s>KODIAK, Alaska - The Coast Guard in Alaska was searching Wednesday for a medical airplane that went missing with three people aboard.

The King Air 200, operated by Guardian Flight, had taken off from Anchorage on Tuesday and was expected to land in the tiny southeast Alaska village of Kake at 6:19 p.m. to pick up a patient, but never arrived, the Coast Guard said.

A pilot, a nurse and a paramedic are aboard the twin-engine aircraft.

Guardian Flight spokesman Jim Gregory said the company’s Alaska aircraft have been grounded while the Coast Guard searches for the overdue plane. The South Jordan, Utah-based company has about 15 aircraft in Alaska.

Gregory said the company initially grounded all aircraft across the U.S. as a show of respect for the missing people but has gradually re-started operations with aircraft based outside of Alaska.</s>KODIAK, Alaska (AP) – The Latest on missing medical flight in Alaska (all times local):

An official with a medical flight firm says the company’s Alaska aircraft have been grounded while the Coast Guard searches for an overdue air ambulance with three people on board.

Guardian Flight spokesman Jim Gregory says the grounding of the aircraft gives company employees a chance to reflect on the three crew members and pray for them. A pilot, a nurse and a paramedic are aboard.

Gregory says the company initially grounded all aircraft across the U.S. but has gradually re-started operations with aircraft based outside of Alaska.

The Coast Guard says the King Air 200 plane operated by Guardian Flight took off from Anchorage on Tuesday and was expected to land in the tiny southeastern village of Kake at 6:19 p.m. but never arrived.

Chief Petty Officer Charly Hengen says the search by boats and aircraft is focusing on an area 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of Kake.

The Coast Guard in Alaska is searching for an overdue medical flight with three people aboard.

The Coast Guard says the King Air 200, operated by Guardian Flight, had taken off from Anchorage on Tuesday and was expected to land in Kake at 6:19 p.m., but never arrived.

A Coast Guard vessel was sent to search near the aircraft’s last known position.

Light rain was reported in the area.</s>KODIAK, Alaska (AP) - The Coast Guard in Alaska was searching Wednesday for a medical airplane that went missing with three people aboard.

The King Air 200, operated by Guardian Flight, had taken off from Anchorage on Tuesday and was expected to land in the tiny southeast Alaska village of Kake at 6:19 p.m. to pick up a patient, but never arrived, the Coast Guard said.

A pilot, a nurse and a paramedic are aboard the twin-engine aircraft.

Guardian Flight spokesman Jim Gregory said the company's Alaska aircraft have been grounded while the Coast Guard searches for the overdue plane. The South Jordan, Utah-based company has about 15 aircraft in Alaska.

Gregory said the company initially grounded all aircraft across the U.S. as a show of respect for the missing people but has gradually re-started operations with aircraft based outside of Alaska.

"That really gave our employees time to reflect on what's happened to the missing crewmembers and to pray," Jordan said.

The search by boats and aircraft is focusing on an area 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of Kake, Chief Petty Officer Charly Hengen said.

"We're just diligently still continuing the search and hope that we find the overdue aircraft and individuals," Hengen said.

He said light rain, 7 mph (11 kph) winds and 10-mile (16-kilometer) visibility were reported in the area around the time the plane was due in Kake.</s>ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Federal authorities have joined the investigation into the massive blaze that razed a hotel under construction in Anchorage.

The Anchorage Daily News reports fire investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrived in Anchorage on Monday to investigate the early Saturday fire that destroyed the Courtyard by Marriott hotel.

The 141-room hotel was mostly a frame of wood and plasterboard before the fire.

Anchorage Fire Marshal Cleo Hill says the fire cracked windows and melted the sign at a neighboring motel. The fire’s towering “thermal column” also deposited debris as far as a mile away.

Hill says the loss is estimated at $20 million.

Investigators have not said what caused the fire.

The newspaper’s attempts to contact the project’s developer, Affinity Hospitality, were unsuccessful.

 —

 Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com</s>ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Federal authorities have joined the investigation into the massive blaze that razed a hotel under construction in Anchorage.

The Anchorage Daily News reports fire investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrived in Anchorage on Monday to investigate the early Saturday fire that destroyed the Courtyard by Marriott hotel.

The 141-room hotel was mostly a frame of wood and plasterboard before the fire.

Anchorage Fire Marshal Cleo Hill says the fire cracked windows and melted the sign at a neighbouring motel. The fire’s towering “thermal column” also deposited debris as far as a mile away.

Hill says the loss is estimated at $20 million.</s>KODIAK, Alaska — The Coast Guard in Alaska is searching for an overdue medical flight with three people aboard.

The Coast Guard says the King Air 200, operated by Guardian Flight, had taken off from Anchorage on Tuesday and was expected to land in Kake at 6:19 p.m., but never arrived.

A Coast Guard vessel was sent to search near the aircraft's last known position.

Light rain was reported in the area.</s>ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – The state is extending the deadline by 30 days for residents to apply for recovery funds following the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that shook south-central Alaska.

The Anchorage Daily News reports Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced Monday that residents can apply for the state individual assistance program for quake relief until Feb. 28.

Jeremy Zidek, spokesman for the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, says nearly 11,500 people have applied so far following the Nov. 30 earthquake.

Zidek says most of the applicants have been from Anchorage, followed by the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and to “a lesser degree” the Kenai Peninsula.

The program will pay up to $17,400 for damage to homes, personal property or transportation, or if people have medical or dental needs linked to the quake.

 —

 Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com</s>ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Anchorage police are investigating the suspicious death of a man inside an apartment.

Police shortly after 4 a.m. Tuesday took a report of a body in an apartment complex on west 34th Avenue.

The report said the body had been there several days.

Police say they detained multiple people for questioning.</s>ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A snowplow operating on an Anchorage street near Merrill Field struck and killed a pedestrian.

Anchorage police just after 11 p.m. Sunday responded to the accident on Fifth Avenue, the main inbound street to the city from the north.

A state snowplow operator told officers he saw something dark in the roadway and swerved to avoid it.

He turned the plow around to see what it was and discovered a man in a traffic lane.

Emergency responders declared the man dead at the scene.

A witness told police the man had been seen in the roadway seconds before the plow hit him.

The name of the pedestrian was not immediately released.
A second air ambulance, traveling from Anchorage, Alaska to the village of Kake, in Southeast Alaska, was reported missing. The aircraft had a crew of three onboard.