A seaplane carrying 11 people crashed off the coast of Washington state Thursday evening, slamming into rocks before bursting into flames and leaving one person in critical condition.
The Kenmore Air aircraft made an emergency landing at about 5:15 p.m. on July 23 in Shallow Bay near Sucia Island, according to the airline. The U.S. Coast Guard’s Sector Puget Sound received reports of the crash roughly 10 minutes later.
The plane had departed Lake Union in Seattle at approximately 4:30 p.m. and was headed to Roche Harbor, a Kenmore Air spokesperson told KING 5 Seattle. It went down about 45 minutes into the flight.
There were 10 passengers and one pilot aboard. All 11 people were accounted for, and no deaths were reported.
Four people were taken to hospitals with serious injuries, according to Kenmore Air and local authorities. San Juan County Sheriff Eric Peter said one of those patients was believed to be in critical condition.
The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office said responders treated multiple people for injuries that included head trauma, broken bones and cuts.
Dramatic video obtained by KING 5 appeared to show the seaplane descending toward the water and striking rocks near the shoreline. Survivors could then be seen climbing out of the damaged aircraft before flames engulfed it.
Several injured passengers were transported to medical facilities in Friday Harbor, Skagit County and Bellingham, the Coast Guard said.
Police were alerted about 15 minutes after the crash. The U.S. Navy also responded to assist, while three air ambulances carried patients to area hospitals.
The Coast Guard said both the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration had been notified and would be involved in the investigation.
As of Friday, the burned aircraft remained wedged against rocks near the water. Officials were also working with other agencies to determine whether the crash and fire caused any environmental damage.
The cause of the emergency landing and subsequent fire remains under investigation.
Kenmore Air canceled all scheduled flights for Friday as the company focused on helping the passengers, pilot, their families and emergency responders.
“This evening one of our aircraft was involved in an accident near Sucia Island,” Kenmore Air CEO David Gudgel said in a statement.
“We are grateful that everyone aboard has been accounted for, and our immediate focus is ensuring our passengers and pilot receive the care and support they need.”
Gudgel also thanked the Coast Guard, local emergency crews and others who responded to the scene.
“Kenmore Air is fully cooperating with the investigating authorities, and we will continue providing verified information as it becomes available,” he said.
The investigation into what caused the seaplane to go down is ongoing.
Discover more from True News Media
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.