SEATTLE (AP) — A seaplane carrying 11 people crashed and caught fire on the rocky coast of a remote, forested island near Washington’s border with Canada. But a swift rescue by nearby boats and a helicopter got everyone safely to hospitals.
The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office said patients suffered head injuries, broken bones and cuts. At least five of the passengers had been discharged from hospitals, and one who was previously described as critical was in satisfactory condition Friday at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, hospital spokesperson Susan Gregg said. The cause of the crash Thursday evening was not immediately known. It came less than three weeks after a seaplane carrying eight people made a rough landing in New York City’s East River, causing minor injuries. Videos posted on social media show the aircraft turning to one side as it flies low over the water near several boats and the shore. The plane makes a hard landing, at first touching down on just one float, then briefly skips into the air before hitting land. The person recording the video gasps when a crunching sound is heard from the plane’s impact just out of sight.
The plane was carrying a pilot and 10 passengers. It crashed at about 5:20 p.m. Thursday on Sucia Island, an uninhabited state park. Sucia is north of the main San Juan Islands, a rugged archipelago between Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia, that is a popular summer vacation spot known for its ferries, whale watching and hiking.
