11 people rescued after seaplane crashes off Washington coast
By Martin Goillandeau, CNN
(CNN) — Multiple people have been rescued after a seaplane carrying 11 people made an emergency landing Thursday off the coast of Washington, prompting a multi-agency search and rescue operation.
All 11 people, a pilot and 10 passengers, aboard the Kenmore Air seaplane have been accounted for after the plane made an emergency landing and caught fire near Sucia Island in the San Juan Islands, the US Coast Guard told CNN.
Four people were transported to hospitals with serious injuries, CNN affiliate KING reported citing a Kenmore Air spokesperson. One of the four injured passengers was transported in critical condition, San Juan County Sheriff Eric Peter said, according to KING.
The victims’ injuries range from “head injuries to broken bones and lacerations,” Peter said.
What prompted the plane to make an emergency landing is unknown.
A Kenmore Air spokesperson told KING the floatplane took off at 4:30 p.m. from Lake Union in Seattle and was heading to Roche Harbor, about 100 miles northwest, when it went down around 45 minutes after take-off.
The US Coast Guard said it received initial reports around 5:25 p.m. local time and immediately launched search and rescue assets, alongside the US Navy, Canadian Coast Guard and local agencies.
CNN has reached out to Kenmore Air, the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, the US Navy, the Canadian Coast Guard and the FAA.
Two of the injured passengers have been taken to a hospital in Bellingham, while two others were transported to a hospital in Seattle, the airline told CNN affiliate KOMO. Seven additional passengers were taken to a US Coast Guard base for further evaluation, KOMO said.
“We are grateful that everyone aboard has been accounted for, and our immediate focus is ensuring our passengers and pilot receive the care and support they need,” Kenmore Air CEO David Gudgel said in a statement, according to KING.
“Kenmore Air is fully cooperating with the investigating authorities, and we will continue providing verified information as it becomes available,” Gudgel said.
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CNN’s Dalia Faheid contributed to this report.
