In a dramatic turn of events off the coast of Washington, a floatplane carrying a dozen people burst into flames after an attempted emergency landing Thursday. The incident, which occurred near a Washington island, left multiple passengers injured, with one in critical condition.
The single-engine de Havilland DHC-3 aircraft went down in Shallow Bay, close to Sucia Island, positioned roughly 90 miles from Seattle and just four miles south of the Canadian border. The crash took place at about 5:15 p.m. local time, approximately 45 minutes following its departure from Seattle, as confirmed by the US Coast Guard via Fox 13 News.
The floatplane, part of the Kenmore Air fleet, was in the midst of an emergency descent when it caught on fire.
Captivating video footage captured the single-engine aircraft ablaze and disintegrated, floating near the rocky shores of Sucia Island.
In a fortunate outcome, all 10 passengers along with the pilot were found safe after the fiery mishap, according to officials.
Officials said one of the individuals was in critical condition, and that injuries among those treated ranged from “head injuries to broken bones and lacerations,” the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office told King 5 News.
Two injured passengers were rushed by the Coast Guard to a hospital in Bellingham — about a 20-minute boat ride from the crash site on the mainland.
Another two were taken to nearby Orcas Island for evaluation and treatment.
The Orcas Island Fire and Rescue wrote on Facebook that multiple agencies, including their department, the Coast Guard and the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, responded to the crash site.
The plane was headed to Roche Harbor — about 20 miles from where it went down, King 5 News reported.
Kenmore Air CEO David Gudgel confirmed to the outlet that the plane belonged to his company, and he was “grateful that everyone aboard has been accounted for.”
“Our immediate focus is ensuring our passengers and pilot receive the care and support they need,” Gudgel said in the statement.
“We extend our sincere thanks to the United States Coast Guard, local emergency responders, and everyone assisting in the response. Kenmore Air is fully cooperating with the investigating authorities, and we will continue providing verified information as it becomes available.”
The cause of the emergency landing and fire remains under investigation.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board have launched an investigation into the crash, King 5 News reported.
At the time of the crash, thunderstorms were rolling through the area, producing wind gusts of 12 to 20 mph, with visibility at 10 miles, National Weather Service meteorologist Harrison Rademacher said, the Seattle Times reported.
Kenmore Air, the largest seaplane operator in the US, flies more than 90,000 passengers annually to over 45 destinations across the Pacific Northwest and Canada.