Eleven people who survived a plane crash off the Florida coast floated in a life raft for five hours before a military rescue team was able to safely get everyone out of the water.
ABC News’ Matt Rivers reports. https://t.co/rdXqu4K3xn pic.twitter.com/womWoGzJbw
— ABC News (@ABC) May 14, 2026
Eleven survivors of a plane crash 50 miles off the Florida coast spent five harrowing hours on a life raft before US military rescue crews located and hoisted them to safety.
Eleven people survived a plane crash off the Florida coast after floating on a life raft for five hours with no means of communication and no certainty of rescue, according to ABC News.
The Beechcraft 300 King Air turboprop suffered engine failure Tuesday while flying from Marsh Harbour, Bahamas, to Freeport. The pilot ditched the aircraft in the ocean about 50 miles off Vero Beach, getting all 10 passengers safely onto a life raft.
Air Force Capt. Rory Whipple, who jumped into the water to reach survivors, said: “You could tell just by looking at them that they were in distress — physically, mentally and emotionally.”
The plane’s emergency beacon alerted the US Coast Guard, directing an already-airborne Air Force Reserve crew to the scene. Maj. Elizabeth Piowaty said: “I’ve not known anyone to survive a ditching in the ocean. For all those people to survive is pretty miraculous.”
All 11 were flown to Melbourne Orlando International Airport in stable condition. The FAA has launched an investigation.
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