Home / Disasters and Accidents / Miracle Rescue: 11 Survivors Pulled From Ocean
Miracle Rescue: 11 Survivors Pulled From Ocean
14 May
Summary
- All 11 adults survived a sea crash and were rescued.
- Rescue completed with only five minutes of fuel remaining.
- Engine failure reported as probable cause for the crash.
All 11 individuals on a private aircraft that crashed into the sea off central Florida were successfully rescued. The U.S. Coast Guard and an Air Force Reserve team located the survivors in their lifeboat after the plane went down approximately 80 miles east of Melbourne, Florida.
The twin-engine turboprop was en route from the Bahamas when it reportedly experienced engine failure. An emergency locator signal activated, prompting a swift response from airborne rescuers.
A U.S. Air Force Reserve HC-130J Combat King II aircraft, already on a training mission, was the first to spot the liferaft as a thunderstorm loomed. Its crew dropped essential supplies, including food and water, to the survivors who had been adrift for about five hours.
Subsequently, a rescue helicopter from the Air Force Reserve's 920th Rescue Wing airlifted all 11 survivors. The operation was critically timed, concluding with only five minutes of fuel left before the helicopter would have required mid-air refueling or an immediate landing.
Bahamian authorities are currently investigating the precise cause of the crash, which originated from Marsh Harbour and was headed to Freeport, both in the Bahamas. The rescued individuals were transported to Melbourne Orlando International Airport for medical evaluation.
