MELBOURNE,, Fla. — Airmen assigned to the 920th Rescue Wing helped rescue 11 people from a downed civilian aircraft off Florida’s east coast Tuesday, according to officials at Patrick Space Force Base.
Officials said the aircraft went down about 80 miles east of Melbourne.
According to the 920th Rescue Wing, an emergency locator transmitter signal from a twin-engine turboprop aircraft alerted Coast Guard Southeast District watchstanders to a potential distress situation around 11 a.m.
At the time, a 920th Rescue Wing HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter crew was already in the air conducting a routine training mission.
Officials said the crew was redirected to assist in the search and rescue effort after receiving a request to investigate the emergency locator transmitter signal.
Working with the U.S. Coast Guard and other Air Force rescue crews, the 920th Rescue Wing aircrew helped locate and recover 11 Bahamian adults from a life raft near the downed aircraft.
The HH-60W crew hoisted all 11 survivors and transported them to awaiting emergency medical services at Melbourne Orlando International Airport.
RELATED: 10 rescued after plane crashes off Florida coast, FAA says
Officials said all survivors were reported in stable condition.
“This rescue highlights the readiness, professionalism, and interoperability our Airmen train for every day,” said Col. Chadd Bloomstine, commander of the 920th Rescue Operations Group.
Bloomstine said the crew was already airborne when the call came in, allowing airmen to transition from a training flight to a real-world rescue operation.
“We are proud to have played a key role in safely returning 11 people home,” Bloomstine said.
A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater C-27 Spartan aircrew and an HC-130J Combat King II aircrew from Patrick Space Force Base also assisted in the rescue.
Officials said the HC-130J crew was first on scene and located the downed aircraft, along with the nearby life raft carrying the survivors.
0 of 5
The C-27 Spartan arrived shortly afterward and provided additional support during the operation.
The civilian aircraft reportedly departed Marsh Harbour in the Bahamas and was headed to Freeport when it experienced engine failure, according to officials.
Bahamian authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the crash.
The 920th Rescue Wing is the Air Force Reserve’s only combat search and rescue wing.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2026 Cox Media Group
