A floatplane carrying 10 passengers and a pilot burst into flames after crash-landing in the waters off Sucia Island, Washington, on Thursday. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that all 11 individuals on board were accounted for, but several sustained injuries, including one person in critical condition.
The de Havilland DHC-3 single-engine bush plane was approximately 45 minutes into its flight from Seattle when it initiated an emergency landing around 5:15 p.m. local time. The aircraft went down in Shallow Bay, near the Canadian border, about four miles from Sucia Island. Photos from the scene show the plane engulfed in flames and broken apart on the water's surface, near the island's shore.
Injuries reported by the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office ranged from head injuries to broken bones and lacerations. The Coast Guard transported two injured passengers to a hospital in Bellingham, while two others were taken to Orcas Island for evaluation and treatment. Several agencies, including the Orcas Island Fire and Rescue, the Coast Guard, and the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, responded to the incident.
Kenmore Air, the owner of the aircraft, confirmed that the plane belonged to their company. The airline stated that its primary focus is providing care and support to the passengers and pilot. Kenmore Air is cooperating with the authorities investigating the crash.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation into the cause of the emergency landing and the subsequent fire. Weather conditions in the area at the time of the crash included thunderstorms with wind gusts between 12 and 20 mph, and 10 miles of visibility, according to a National Weather Service meteorologist.