11 People Survive After Small Plane Crashes Into Atlantic Ocean Off Florida
A small plane carrying 11 people crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Florida's east coast Tuesday afternoon, triggering an immediate search-and-rescue operation that ended with every person aboard alive.
The incident occurred at approximately 12:05 p.m. EST when the aircraft — a Beechcraft BE30 with tail number HP-1859 — lost contact with air traffic control after declaring an in-flight emergency. The turboprop plane went down about 50 miles east of the Vero Beach Regional Airport and approximately 80 miles east of Melbourne, Florida.
The U.S. Coast Guard Southeast District confirmed all occupants were accounted for. "Reportedly, all occupants are accounted for and are being brought to emergency medical services for further evaluation," officials said in a statement. "The cause of the crash is unknown."
Three of the eleven survivors sustained injuries during the crash.
What We Know About the Flight
The Beechcraft BE30 had departed from Leonard M. Thompson International Airport in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, in the Bahamas, and was headed to Grand Bahama International Airport in Freeport — a relatively short inter-island route that crosses a stretch of open Atlantic water between the Bahamas and Florida's eastern seaboard.
The U.S. Coast Guard launched a C-27 transport aircraft to conduct search-and-rescue operations in the area. A coordinated response involved both U.S. Coast Guard and Bahamian agencies.
Weather may become part of the investigation. Robert Haley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne, confirmed there were reports of storms offshore around the time of the crash. Weather conditions in the area included winds of 17 mph and an 80% probability of showers and thunderstorms. Officials have not announced an official cause.
What Happens Next
The FAA is expected to release a preliminary report on the crash. The Bahamas Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority is also expected to be involved in the investigation, given that the flight originated from a Bahamian airport.
The air corridor between the Bahamas and Florida is one of the busiest small-aircraft routes in the western Atlantic, heavily used by private and charter operators shuttling passengers between the islands and the Florida coast. Incidents over open water are particularly challenging because of the rapid response required and the distance from shore — factors that made Tuesday's successful rescue all the more notable.
Everyone who was on that plane is alive. Given where it came down and how quickly things can go wrong over open ocean, that outcome is the one that matters most.
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