Deadly Miami plane crash prompts search Witnesses describe explosion before craft goes down in water
Monday, December 19, 2005; Posted: 8:51 p.m. EST (01:51 GMT)
story.flames.jpg Amateur video footage shows the descent of the seaplane. Image: Find a Loan at LendingTree.com 1 simple form, up to 4 real loan offers in minutes. www.lendingtree.com Save on All Your Calls with Vonage When looking for local regional and long distance calling, use Vonage to make... www.vonage.com Mortgage Rates Hit Record Lows $160,000 loan as low as $633/month. Compare rates - refinance now. www.lowermybills.com More Useful Links • Electronics • Notebook Computers • Online Shopping
WATCH Browse/Search Amateur video shows seaplane crash (:26) Coast Guard details Miami crash (4:11) Crash prompts search-and-rescue effort (:56) RELATED Gallery: Scene of the crash • Interactive: Map of crash location • Chalks history long, colorful, safe • Chalks Ocean Airwaysexternal link • Two sought after Cessna crash YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS Miami (Florida) Air and Space Accidents Airlines or Create Your Own Manage Alerts | What Is This?
MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- A vintage seaplane with 20 people on board crashed into the ocean off Miami Monday, with part of the plane apparently breaking off in a fireball, killing at least 19 people aboard, authorities said.
The plane, which takes off and lands on the water, had left from Miami for the Bahamas when the accident happened around 2:30 p.m., officials said.
Amateur video showed what appeared to be the main fuselage slamming into the water, followed by a large ball of fire -- possibly one of its wings. Beachgoers and vacationers could be seen just hundreds of yards from where the plane and the other piece hit. (Watch amateur video of the crash -- 0:26)
"That's a truly remarkable piece of film," said Robert Francis, the former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.
He said it "will now allow the NTSB to prioritize, a little bit, what they're looking for in terms of the wreckage."
Witnesses had described hearing a loud explosion and seeing the plane break up.
One woman at the scene said the plane was flying "pretty low" and "a little bit loud," when, "all of a sudden, we just heard it blow up."
"I saw two pieces, and it went down into the water," she said.
Another witness said he saw a wing come off, and "it exploded."
The crash prompted an urgent search-and-rescue operation involving the Coast Guard, fire department and other emergency departments.
Three Coast Guard search vessels, aided by private boats and at least one helicopter, searched the waters. Television footage taken from the air showed divers in the water, with the submerged plane partially visible and part of the wreckage on a nearby rock jetty.
Coast Guard crews secured the submerged fuselage, while divers searched for possible survivors. By Monday evening, 19 bodies had been recovered, said Coast Guard Capt. James Mays.
"This is a tragic event," Coast Guard Petty Officer Dana Warr told CNN.
The Grumman G-73 airplane, operated by Chalks Ocean Airways, was headed to the island of Bimini in the Bahamas. Airline officials said the plane had been carrying 20 people: two pilots and 18 passengers, including three infants. (Map)
However, a Coast Guard official later said the plane may have had a total of 19 people aboard, 17 passengers and two crew members.
The airline's general manager, Roger Nair, told reporters the crash of Flight 101 was the company's first involving passengers since it was founded in 1919.
"We are a close-knit, family airline, and most of our passengers have been our customers for an extended period of time," he said. (Airline history)
NTSB records confirmed that the airline had never had a fatal accident with passengers on board before Monday. However, a Chalks plane crashed in March 1994 near Key West, Florida, killing the two pilots aboard. No passengers were on that plane.
Shortly after Monday's crash, the Port of Miami was shut down, and cruise liners were diverted from the area so they would not interfere with the rescue operation, said Warr, who described seeing the plane as it took off.
"I didn't think anything of it. I had seen this aircraft take off and land numerous times," he said.
But then, he said, "I saw a dark, black plume of smoke, and then immediately after, the search-and-rescue alarm went off here on the base."
"It really gives me chills to know that I saw this aircraft, and to think that everything was OK. And just seconds later, Coast Guard personnel are responding to this tragic event," he said.
A team of investigators from the NTSB arrived late in the afternoon in Miami. Senior air safety investigator William English will lead the 14-member team.
A spokeswoman for the FBI's Miami office said two agents have been sent to the site, but that there was no evidence of foul play.
Not to take anything away from this event, but lets also not forget the thousands of elderly who passed away today, the thousands of cancer and disease patients, the thousands who died in traffic accidents, the thousands who died in workplace accidents. The thousands who died of disease and starvation, from lack of medical attention, and, well, everybody who passed away today.
I would also like to add my prayers and condolances to the families and loved ones of the victims who have parished in this plane crash, my prayer is that God in his mercy and compassion will wrap his arms of love around them and comfort them in this time of tremendous difficulty and personal loss. Also for any who may survive, that God will strengthen them and help them to recover quickly and comfort them and their families through the healing process.
I would also like to add those same prayers to those mentioned at 10:46. I don't think we should be discriminating just because some tragedies make the news. Pretty soon we'll have people classed as 'prayerworthy' and 'not-prayerworthy'. God does not discriminate.
10:46 PM really had me thinking. It was so bad that I told a few people about his views. Take a look at all the deaths young and old around the world that we don't know of?? I believe that was one of the best comments so far in this blog. Good work 10:46 PM!!!
7 comments:
Such a terrible thing to happen anytime, let alone so close to the Christmas Holidays.
Thoughts and Prayers go out to all.
What else can one say ?
Deadly Miami plane crash prompts search
Witnesses describe explosion before craft goes down in water
Monday, December 19, 2005; Posted: 8:51 p.m. EST (01:51 GMT)
story.flames.jpg
Amateur video footage shows the descent of the seaplane.
Image:
Find a Loan at LendingTree.com
1 simple form, up to 4 real loan offers in minutes.
www.lendingtree.com
Save on All Your Calls with Vonage
When looking for local regional and long distance calling, use Vonage to make...
www.vonage.com
Mortgage Rates Hit Record Lows
$160,000 loan as low as $633/month. Compare rates - refinance now.
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More Useful Links
• Electronics
• Notebook Computers
• Online Shopping
WATCH
Browse/Search
Amateur video shows seaplane crash (:26)
Coast Guard details Miami crash (4:11)
Crash prompts search-and-rescue effort (:56)
RELATED
Gallery: Scene of the crash
• Interactive: Map of crash location
• Chalks history long, colorful, safe
• Chalks Ocean Airwaysexternal link
• Two sought after Cessna crash
YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS
Miami (Florida)
Air and Space Accidents
Airlines
or Create Your Own
Manage Alerts | What Is This?
MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- A vintage seaplane with 20 people on board crashed into the ocean off Miami Monday, with part of the plane apparently breaking off in a fireball, killing at least 19 people aboard, authorities said.
The plane, which takes off and lands on the water, had left from Miami for the Bahamas when the accident happened around 2:30 p.m., officials said.
Amateur video showed what appeared to be the main fuselage slamming into the water, followed by a large ball of fire -- possibly one of its wings. Beachgoers and vacationers could be seen just hundreds of yards from where the plane and the other piece hit. (Watch amateur video of the crash -- 0:26)
"That's a truly remarkable piece of film," said Robert Francis, the former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.
He said it "will now allow the NTSB to prioritize, a little bit, what they're looking for in terms of the wreckage."
Witnesses had described hearing a loud explosion and seeing the plane break up.
One woman at the scene said the plane was flying "pretty low" and "a little bit loud," when, "all of a sudden, we just heard it blow up."
"I saw two pieces, and it went down into the water," she said.
Another witness said he saw a wing come off, and "it exploded."
The crash prompted an urgent search-and-rescue operation involving the Coast Guard, fire department and other emergency departments.
Three Coast Guard search vessels, aided by private boats and at least one helicopter, searched the waters. Television footage taken from the air showed divers in the water, with the submerged plane partially visible and part of the wreckage on a nearby rock jetty.
Coast Guard crews secured the submerged fuselage, while divers searched for possible survivors. By Monday evening, 19 bodies had been recovered, said Coast Guard Capt. James Mays.
"This is a tragic event," Coast Guard Petty Officer Dana Warr told CNN.
The Grumman G-73 airplane, operated by Chalks Ocean Airways, was headed to the island of Bimini in the Bahamas. Airline officials said the plane had been carrying 20 people: two pilots and 18 passengers, including three infants. (Map)
However, a Coast Guard official later said the plane may have had a total of 19 people aboard, 17 passengers and two crew members.
The airline's general manager, Roger Nair, told reporters the crash of Flight 101 was the company's first involving passengers since it was founded in 1919.
"We are a close-knit, family airline, and most of our passengers have been our customers for an extended period of time," he said. (Airline history)
NTSB records confirmed that the airline had never had a fatal accident with passengers on board before Monday. However, a Chalks plane crashed in March 1994 near Key West, Florida, killing the two pilots aboard. No passengers were on that plane.
Shortly after Monday's crash, the Port of Miami was shut down, and cruise liners were diverted from the area so they would not interfere with the rescue operation, said Warr, who described seeing the plane as it took off.
"I didn't think anything of it. I had seen this aircraft take off and land numerous times," he said.
But then, he said, "I saw a dark, black plume of smoke, and then immediately after, the search-and-rescue alarm went off here on the base."
"It really gives me chills to know that I saw this aircraft, and to think that everything was OK. And just seconds later, Coast Guard personnel are responding to this tragic event," he said.
A team of investigators from the NTSB arrived late in the afternoon in Miami. Senior air safety investigator William English will lead the 14-member team.
A spokeswoman for the FBI's Miami office said two agents have been sent to the site, but that there was no evidence of foul play.
Not to take anything away from this event, but lets also not forget the thousands of elderly who passed away today, the thousands of cancer and disease patients, the thousands who died in traffic accidents, the thousands who died in workplace accidents. The thousands who died of disease and starvation, from lack of medical attention, and, well, everybody who passed away today.
so true....life is so short...
I would also like to add my prayers and condolances to the families and loved ones of the victims who have parished in this plane crash, my prayer is that God in his mercy and compassion will wrap his arms of love around them and comfort them in this time of tremendous difficulty and personal loss. Also for any who may survive, that God will strengthen them and help them to recover quickly and comfort them and their families through the healing process.
I would also like to add those same prayers to those mentioned at 10:46. I don't think we should be discriminating just because some tragedies make the news. Pretty soon we'll have people classed as 'prayerworthy' and 'not-prayerworthy'. God does not discriminate.
10:46 PM really had me thinking. It was so bad that I told a few people about his views. Take a look at all the deaths young and old around the world that we don't know of?? I believe that was one of the best comments so far in this blog. Good work 10:46 PM!!!
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