A young Florida pilot expressed her immense relief after executing an emergency water landing in the Atlantic Ocean and swimming to shore unharmed. Faith Tenkley, 23, was en route to the Bahamas on Saturday to pick up her parents when her Piper PA30 propeller plane experienced a mechanical failure, with its right engine failing and landing gear breaking.
Tenkley decided to ditch the aircraft in the ocean rather than attempt a landing at Boca Raton Airport, citing concerns about a potential fire due to the plane's fuel load. "I am incredibly fortunate and relieved to share that I was able to swim away from this incident," Tenkley, who has been a pilot for four years, told WPTV.
She stated that her primary focus during the descent was ensuring the safety of those around her. Tenkley successfully navigated the plane toward open water, avoiding nearby buildings, paddleboarders, swimmers, and individuals on the beach. The emergency landing occurred approximately 15 miles off Boca Raton, less than an hour after departing Page Field airport in Fort Myers.
Video footage captured the controlled descent and water landing. Witnesses on the beach described seeing the plane come in low, with some initially unsure if it would land on the sand or in the water. The aircraft's tail remained visible above the water after the landing. Crews have since removed the plane from the ocean.