All eleven people on board a private plane that crashed into the sea off the coast of Florida on Tuesday survived the crash. After five perilous hours on a raft, they were rescued by a team from the US Air Force.
“The fact that all those people survived the accident can safely be called a miracle,” Elizabeth Piowaty, commander of one of the planes involved in the rescue operation, told reporters at a news conference.
The twin-engine plane had taken off from the Bahamas with 11 adults on board and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean about 80 miles (129 kilometers) offshore. A distress signal was sent out, which was received by the coast guard.
An aircraft specifically designed for search and rescue operations in combat situations happened to be in the air on a training mission when the search was initiated. The crew immediately joined the operation, the Coast Guard said.
‘Emotionally and mentally in distress’
The major said her team discovered the life raft as a thunderstorm approached. By then the survivors had been in the raft for about five hours. “We could tell they were in distress, physically, mentally and emotionally,” said Air Force Capt. Rory Whipple, who was also involved in the rescue effort. “You have to imagine the emotional damage they suffered there, in complete uncertainty as to whether anyone would come to save them.”
The survivors were eventually lifted to safety by the crew of a rescue helicopter and flown to Melbourne Orlando International Airport for medical treatment. No information has yet been released about the severity of their injuries and their medical condition.
There is still no trace of the crashed plane. Bahamas authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, but the coast guard said the plane may have suffered engine problems.
