Bahamas: 10 rescued after seaplane crashes near Resort in North Bimini

Bahamas: All ten people onboard a Tropic Ocean Airways seaplane survived without injury after the aircraft crashed into a seawall near a resort in North Bimini, The Bahamas, on Saturday afternoon. Authorities have confirmed that all the passengers and crew were safely rescued.

The incident took place at around 3:00 pm near the North Bimini Seaplane Base. The 2014 fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft was preparing to depart for Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when it was almost overturned.

Preliminary reports indicate that the aircraft may have suffered damage to one of its floats while moving on the water near the seaplane base. The plane stopped in the water, but did not fully sink.

Nearby boat owners and first responders quickly reached the aircraft. They helped all the passengers and crew safely leave the plane. No injuries or fatalities were reported during the investigation and rescue operations.

Nick Pavlakis, who is a general manager at Marine Max in Jupiter and an operator of the rescue boats, was one of those who witnessed the accident, and immediately came to their aid.

Right as I tied up from getting fuel, we heard some panicking people waving, and then we saw the seaplane drifting, so I thought, 'Okay, the plane lost power, the plane is drifting,' and I grabbed the four closest guys I had to me, a couple of locals, a couple of people in our group, he said.

Pavlakis further stated that all the passengers were reduced within 20 to 30 minutes. “We got everybody on the boat from leaving the dock and having people on board, minus the pilot and copilot ... it must have been five minutes, ten minutes tops. But between getting the boat situated, getting all the luggage off felt like a few hours, but I think it was probably 20 or 30 minutes,” noted the general manager.

Police in Bimini responded to the scene and secured the area while aviation authorities started their investigation. Authorities have not made public the names of those onboard the Tropic Ocean Airways seaplane.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) of The Bahamas is leading the investigation, in collaboration with the Bahamas Department of Aviation and local police. Authorities are working to determine the cause of the incident and whether it was caused by some mechanical issues, float damage, or other problems.