Eleven people were rescued by the US Coast Guard after a small plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Melbourne, Florida, on Tuesday, May 12. The aircraft, Beechcraft BE30, departed from Marsh Harbour Airport and was headed to Grand Bahama International Airport before it went down.
After receiving the information, the US Coast Guard and Bahamian authorities launched a joint operation, with survivors transported to trauma centres in Florida.
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A US Coast Guard C-27 aircraft was launched to search for a crashed plane immediately after receiving information. The crash took place about 80 miles off Melbourne, according to the US Coast Guard Southeast statement on X.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told PEOPLE that a Beechcraft BE30 crashed in the ocean 50 miles east of Vero Beach Regional Airport in Florida around 12:05 p.m. local time. Before the communication was lost, the Bahamas Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority had declared an emergency, reported CBS News.
US Coast Guard Southeast said on X that "The cause of the crash is unknown," and that it will provide an update as more information becomes available.
Eleven people rescued and flown by helicopter to Melbourne International Airport were transported to area trauma centres, Brevard County Communications Department told PEOPLE. Ten individuals were transported to Holmes Regional Medical Centre, while one additional person was transferred to Orlando Health Melbourne, the department told PEOPLE.