All 11 people aboard the Kenmore Air seaplane that crashed in the San Juan Islands are alive, the company said.
SAN JUAN COUNTY, Washington. A Kenmore Air plane made an emergency landing before catching fire near Sucia Island in the San Juan Islands Thursday evening, and all 11 people on board survived.
The seaplane, a single-engine turboprop, took off at 4:30 p.m. from Lake Union in Seattle and crashed at 5:15 p.m. in Mellow Bay off Sucia Island, a Kenmore Air spokesman said. Sucia Island is located north of Orcas Island.
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A company representative said that at the time of the crash there were 11 people on board – 10 passengers and the pilot. All people were rescued, according to Kenmore Air.
According to Kenmore Air, six passengers were taken to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, four passengers were taken to PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center in Friday Harbor and the pilot was transferred to Skagit Valley Hospital.
The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office said one person was in critical condition and the victims’ injuries ranged from “head injuries to broken bones and lacerations.”
The plane and its passengers were heading to Roche Harbour.
The video shows the moments leading up to the disaster:
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It is unclear what caused the crash.
“Today one of our aircraft was involved in an accident near Sucia Island,” Kenmore Air CEO David Gudgel said in a statement. “We are grateful that everyone on board has been identified and our first priority is to ensure our passengers and pilots receive the care and support they need. Our sincere thanks go to the US Coast Guard, local first responders and everyone assisting in the response. “Kenmore Air is cooperating fully with the investigation and we will continue to provide verified information as it becomes available.”
Kenmore Air said it has canceled all flights for Friday, July 24.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the seaplane crash.
Additional agencies responded to the scene, including San Juan Island Fire and Rescue, Lopez Island Fire and Rescue, San Juan County Parks, U.S. Coast Guard and the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office.
Kenmore Air plane crash near Sucia Island
This is a developing story, stay tuned.