BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — The U.S. Coast Guard says all 11 people on board survived after a plane headed to the Bahamas crash landed into the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday, prompting a major rescue effort off Central Florida’s coast.
According to the FAA, the twin-engine aircraft, a Beechcraft BE30, went down about 80 miles east of Melbourne shortly after noon Tuesday.
Bahamas Air Accident Investigation Authority says the flight took off from Marsh Harbour and was headed to Freeport, a trip that typically takes about 30 minutes. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot declared an emergency, and air traffic control lost communication with the aircraft.
The rescue effort involved the U.S. Coast Guard, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, and the U.S. Air Force 920th Rescue Wing based out of Patrick Space Force Base.
Rescue crews pulled all 11 people from the water before they were flown to Melbourne Orlando International Airport aboard a military helicopter Tuesday afternoon. Emergency crews were waiting on the tarmac to evaluate the passengers before they were taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center.
The Bahamas Air Accident Investigation Authority says three people were injured in the crash. The hospital confirmed all 11 were evaluated there, but the hospital has not released how each of them is doing.
According to FlightAware, the aircraft is registered in Panama, and its last flight was on Thursday.
The FAA and the Bahamas Air Accident Investigation Authority are now investigating what caused the aircraft to go down.
The FAA says it plans to release a preliminary report on Wednesday as investigators work to determine what caused the aircraft to go down.
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