A seaplane carrying 11 people, including a pilot and 10 passengers, crashed and caught fire on the rocky shore of a vacation island north of Seattle. The incident occurred on Thursday, and a swift rescue by boat and air got everyone safely to hospitals.
Rescue Efforts
The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office reported that one person was in critical condition after the crash, and that patients suffered head injuries, broken bones, and cuts. At least five of the passengers had been discharged from hospitals as of Friday.
Videos posted on social media of the crash show the aircraft banking to one side as it flies low over the water near several boats and the coastline. The plane makes a hard landing, at first touching down on just one float, then it briefly skips into the air before hitting land.
Investigation
The cause of the crash will be investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. The plane’s operator, Kenmore Air, said they would not speculate about why their plane went down.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
