DUNEDIN, Fla. (WSVN)– An in-flight emergency forced a plane to touchdown on water in Pinellas County.
Beachgoers went from relaxing to running to the rescue, when they realized it was a plane that made a big splash in the ocean off Honeymoon Island State Park, early Sunday afternoon.
Florida beachgoers said their day by the water changed in an instant when they saw the aircraft crash into the water.
“I just dropped everything and just started running to the plane and see what I could do,” said witness Lukas Gendron.
“And the next thing we knew, it just got lower and lower, and then, all of a sudden, we were 100 feet away as it just went ‘boom, boom, boom,'” said another witness.
“I was sitting here laying face up, and I saw this plane coming in with, like, no speed, and then it just kind of coasted in, and it crashed super hard,” said witness Matthew Sattinger.
And those who didn’t see the crash said they could feel it in the water.
“There was a boat next to my Jet Ski at the time, and I honestly thought that boat capsized or something like that, because it was like a loud bang, and I look over, it’s a freaking plane that just crashed in the water,” said Gendron.
Emma Blatchly said she called for help immediately after she saw the crash.
“I saw like the plane number that was on the back, and then there’s the two guys that came out the water,” said Blatchly.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the plane made a controlled emergency landing along the north beach of the state park, just after noon.
The two people inside were able to get out and get to shore unscathed as they made their way out of the water.
“Everyone just like flooded to the water to kind of help the people that we thought were injured, but they turned out being OK, thank God,” said Blatchly.
Beachgoers said the two in the plane were a father and son, but the sheriffs office said they can’t confirm that yet.
From every angle — sand, water, and safety — everyone agreed that the pilot did the best he could.
“I mean, we’re trying to get close enough to shore so he can make it back safely,” said Sattinger.
“Yeah, it’s very impressive,” said a deputy.
“From what it seems, the father definitely knew what he was doing when he landed the plane,” said Gendron.
The sherriff’s office said dive teams found a possible fuel leak that they are now investigating.
The plane was removed from the water Sunday night, as the splash landing remains under investigation.
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