Photo: US Coast Guard
All 11 people on board a Kenmore Air seaplane were rescued after the aircraft made an emergency landing and caught fire near Sucia Island in Washington state's San Juan Islands on Thursday (July 23). The U.S. Coast Guard reported that the de Havilland DHC-3 Otter plane, which had taken off from Lake Union in Seattle, went down in Shallow Bay at about 5:15 p.m. PDT.
Rescue operations involved the Coast Guard, Canadian responders, and local agencies, according to the Coast Guard's account of the crash. An image shared by the Coast Guard showed the seaplane burning in the water at the scene.
All passengers and the pilot were accounted for after the rescue. Kenmore Air confirmed that of the 10 passengers and one pilot, four injured individuals were taken to medical facilities—two to Bellingham and two to Orcas Island—for further evaluation and treatment.
Kenmore Air CEO David Gudgel stated, "Kenmore Air is fully cooperating with the investigating authorities, and we will continue providing verified information as it becomes available." Founded in 1946, Kenmore Air is the largest U.S. seaplane airline and serves over 90,000 passengers annually.
The cause of the incident is under investigation. The de Havilland DHC-3 Otter model has been the focus of safety reviews in recent years.