On Thursday evening, a Kenmore Air seaplane crashed off Shaw Island (San Juan Islands, Washington state). The aircraft, which had 10 passengers and a pilot on board, was involved in the incident. All 11 people survived, and it’s a real miracle—made possible by the quick actions of members of the public: people on nearby boats independently picked up the injured and brought them to shore before the rescuers arrived. The aircraft made an emergency landing in the shallow waters of Shallow Bay at around 5:15 p.m., after which it caught fire. Footage that has circulated in the media shows a Coast Guard helicopter lifting one of the survivors.
According to an airline representative, Aaron Blenk, by Friday noon three of the injured remained in the hospital. The crashed aircraft is a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter, manufactured back in 1960, and is widely used for short flights in the region. The investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing, while local residents and the tourism business are discussing how the incident may affect the safety of popular marine excursions. Fortunately, the incident ended without fatalities, making it the top news story of the day for the entire Pacific Northwest.
