All 11 people aboard a Kenmore Air seaplane survived a crash and fire near Sucia Island in Washington's San Juan Islands.
A Kenmore Air seaplane carrying 10 passengers and a pilot survived a crash and subsequent fire in Shallow Bay near Sucia Island on Thursday evening. All 11 people on board were rescued from the water by the Navy, Coast Guard, and local boaters. While the pilot was released from the hospital, three passengers remain hospitalized with injuries ranging from lacerations to broken bones. The National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating the cause of the accident. Flight tracking data indicates the aircraft made a sharp 180-degree turn before impacting the water and bursting into flames. Kenmore Air noted that a local weather system forced the pilot to adjust the flight path. The aircraft, a de Havilland DHC-3 Otter built in 1960, was up-to-date on all required inspections. The NTSB expects to recover the sunken plane for further examination and plans to release an initial report within a month. Kenmore Air canceled all flights on Friday but intends to resume regular service on Saturday.