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Eleven people were rescued after a small plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida on Tuesday (May 12). The U.S. Coast Guard Southeast announced on X that a Coast Guard C-27 aircraft was deployed to search for the plane, which went down approximately 80 miles off Melbourne, Florida.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the Beechcraft BE30 aircraft crashed around 12:05 p.m. local time, about 50 miles east of Vero Beach Regional Airport. The flight had departed from Marsh Harbour Airport and was headed to Grand Bahama International Airport. The pilot declared an emergency before losing communication with air traffic control, as stated by the Bahamas Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority.
Initially, the FAA reported 10 people on board, but the Coast Guard later confirmed there were 11. All passengers were rescued and flown by helicopter to Melbourne Orlando International Airport, where emergency crews were ready to transport them to trauma centers. Ten individuals were taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center, and one was transferred to Orlando Health Melbourne.
The cause of the crash remains unknown, and both the FAA and the Bahamas Air Accident Investigation Authority are investigating. The U.S. Coast Guard, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, and the U.S. Air Force 920th Rescue Wing from Patrick Space Force Base coordinated the rescue efforts. Weather conditions, including storms and high winds, were reported in the area at the time of the crash.
The FAA plans to release a preliminary report on Wednesday, providing more details about the incident. As investigations continue, the focus remains on determining the cause of the crash.