A desperate search has been launched after a plane carrying ten people disappeared while its route to Alaska.

By 4pm local time, the Bering Air plane was 'delayed' and had not reached Noam.

There were nine passengers and one pilot on board, and it was leaving Unalakleet.

Crews are desperately trying to determine the last coordinates of the aircraft.

'We are currently doing an active ground search from Nome and from White Mountain. Due to weather and visibility, we are limited on air search at the current time. 

In a statement, the Nome Volunteer Fire Department stated, "We are currently responding to a report of a missing Bering Air caravan."