world
11 Bahamian Travelers Rescued After Plane Crashes 80 Miles Off Florida Coast
An elite Air Force unit coordinated with the U.S. Coast Guard to save 11 people stranded 80 miles off Melbourne, Florida, after their plane went down on Tuesday. The pilot ensured all passengers reached life rafts before rescuers arrived by helicopter. The 920th Air Rescue Wing airlifted the travelers and took them to hospitals.
May 13, 5:06 PM·1m read1 source
abcnews.go.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
U.S. Coast Guard to rescue 11 Bahamian travelers stranded 80 miles off the coast of Melbourne, Florida, after their plane crashed on Tuesday. The plane's pilot got all his passengers onto life rafts before help arrived.
The 920th Air Rescue Wing reached the scene by helicopter, airlifted the 11 travelers and transported them to nearby hospitals. @CBSNews reported the details of the rescue operation. CBS News' @cbenavidesTV has more on the miraculous rescue.
The sequence began when the aircraft went down on Tuesday, leaving the group adrift in the Atlantic. With the pilot having successfully moved everyone to the life rafts, the coordinated response unfolded rapidly once the distress was known. The 920th Air Rescue Wing's arrival by helicopter marked the start of the extraction phase.
After the airlift, medical teams at nearby hospitals received the 11 Bahamian travelers for evaluation. No further details on their conditions were immediately available following the Tuesday crash.
U.S. Coast Guard in open-water emergencies.
