Coast Guard and bystander rescue 3 people from a plane crash off the Florida Keys
Three people were rescued by a good Samaritan after their Tampa-bound Cessna crashed in the waters off the Florida Keys this week, the Coast Guard said.
The plane, a Cessna 210, plunged into the water Wednesday afternoon about 10 miles north of Florida Keys Marathon International Airport in the Middle Keys, according to the Coast Guard.
A Coast Guard spokesman said the plane had departed from the airport and was on its way to Tampa. But 15 miles into the trip, the pilot turned back. The plane didn’t make it to the airport.
A Coast Guard rescue crew on a 33-foot Special Purpose Craft set out to rescue the pilot and passengers. They found that a good Samaritan had already saved them from the downed plane.
The Coast Guard took the three survivors to the agency’s Marathon station to get medical treatment for minor injuries. A commercial salvage company was hired to get the submerged plane out of the water.
“Thank you to the good Samaritan for arriving on scene and recovering the three survivors,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Paul Altieri, a duty watchstander at Coast Guard Sector Key West. “Their quick response undoubtedly played a tremendous role in this rescue.”
This article will be updated.
This story was originally published December 30, 2021 at 8:42 AM.
