Gov. Dunleavy responds in aftermath of fatal Bering Air crash
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Gov. Mike Dunleavy expressed heartbreak over the Bering Air crash near Nome that took 10 lives on Thursday.
Alaska’s News Source sat down with Dunleavy on Friday afternoon before the wreckage of the plane was found. He’s since put out an updated statement on his social media accounts.
The governor said he is praying for the families of those involved, and also the communities that are so tight-knit on Alaska’s west coast.
He said he understands people are concerned over air crashes the last few weeks in Alaska and around the country, but added that Alaska relies on air transportation and he doesn’t see that changing.
“Given the amount of people that fly, the amount of planes that are in the air, it is an amazingly ... safe industry,” Dunleavy told Alaska’s News Source.
“I still think the research would show that the chances of being injured is greater driving in a car than it is flying in a plane. And so whenever there is an accident like this, usually it entails a number of lives lost and with our modern technologies, a lot of these incidents are caught in real-time on smartphones.
“I would say that in Alaska, we are the state that flies ... we have more pilots per capita. This is how we do things and there will be accidents in the future, unfortunately. But I’d say for the most part, I think the industry is a pretty safe industry.
“I’m going to continue to fly and I think most Alaskans are as well.”
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