A good Samaritan helped rescue crews save three people from a plane crash in the waters off the Florida Keys this week, the Coast Guard said.
The plane, a Cessna 210, plunged into the water Wednesday afternoon about 10 miles north of Florida Keys Marathon International Airport in the Middle Keys. It’s not clear what caused the plane to ditch in the water.
A Coast Guard crew on a 33-foot Special Purpose Craft set out to rescue the pilot and passengers. They found that a good Samaritan had already saved them from the downed plane.
The Coast Guard took the three survivors to land to get medical treatment for minor injuries. A commercial salvage company was hired to get the submerged plane out of the water.
“Thank you to the good Samaritan for arriving on scene and recovering the three survivors,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Paul Altieri, a duty watchstander at Coast Guard Sector Key West. “Their quick response undoubtedly played a tremendous role in this rescue.”
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