All 11 people on board a small aircraft have been rescued after the plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean about 80 miles off the coast of Melbourne, Florida, during a flight between two Bahamian airports. The US Coast Guard, the US Air Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force coordinated the rescue operation, pulling survivors from the open water before flying them by military helicopter to Melbourne Orlando International Airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a Beechcraft BE30 twin-engine plane. The flight had departed from Leonard Thompson International Airport in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, and was bound for Grand Bahama International Airport when the pilot declared an emergency and communication with air traffic control was lost. Three of those on board sustained injuries. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Pilot Declared Emergency Before Contact Was Lost
The Bahamas Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority said Freeport and Nassau air traffic control began emergency notification protocols as soon as communication with the aircraft broke down, alerting multiple agencies simultaneously. A US Coast Guard C-27 aircraft was launched to search the crash zone, located approximately 50 miles east of Vero Beach Regional Airport, where the plane went down at around 12:05pm local time on Tuesday.
The 920th Rescue Wing from Patrick Space Force Base also participated in the operation. Rescue crews located the downed aircraft off the Florida coast and pulled all 11 survivors from the water. Passengers were transported to emergency medical staff at Melbourne Orlando International Airport for further evaluation. The Royal Bahamas Defence Force said Bahamian authorities assisted with coordinating the rescue effort.
Storms Reported in Area at Time of Crash
Thunderstorms were active across parts of South Florida at the time of the crash, with the potential for hail and damaging winds recorded in the region. Investigators are expected to examine weather conditions alongside mechanical factors and the pilot’s actions as they work to establish why the aircraft went down. The FAA said it planned to release a preliminary report providing further details about the incident.
The Beechcraft BE30, also known as the King Air C90, is a twin-turboprop aircraft commonly used for short-haul charter and inter-island flights in the Caribbean. The Marsh Harbour to Freeport route typically takes around 30 minutes. Small aircraft accidents over open water frequently trigger large-scale search and rescue operations because of the distance from shore and the speed with which sea conditions can deteriorate.
Florida to Bahamas Route Among Region’s Busiest
Air links between Florida and the Bahamas are among the most heavily used short-haul routes in the Americas, serving holidaymakers, business travellers and island residents. The Bahamas is accessible from multiple Florida airports via charter and scheduled services, many of which rely on small twin-engine aircraft capable of carrying between six and 12 passengers.
The successful rescue of all 11 people on board is expected to remain the central focus of early coverage, with the investigation set to determine whether the crash resulted from a technical fault, adverse weather, human error or a combination of factors. Officials have not given a timetable for releasing further findings.
