11 Survive Plane Crash Off Florida Coast After Five Hours at Sea

Eleven people survived a plane crash that occurred approximately 80 miles off the coast of Melbourne, Florida, officials announced. The incident involved a civilian Beechcraft BE30 aircraft traveling from Marsh Harbour to Freeport in the Bahamas. An emergency locator transmitter signal alerted the U.S. Coast Guard around 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday. A U.S. Air Force combat helicopter crew, which was already airborne for a routine training mission, was redirected to assist in the search-and-rescue operation. The passengers, identified as Bahamian adults, were stranded at sea for roughly five hours before being rescued. Olympia Outten, one of the survivors, expressed gratitude during a news conference, stating that they feared no one would see them but thanked the military responders for their salvation. The survivors were subsequently transported to Melbourne Orlando International Airport for further assistance. The U.S. Air Force confirmed their role in bringing all individuals home safely, highlighting the successful coordination between the Coast Guard and Air Force units during the emergency response.