SUCIA ISLAND, Wash. — All 11 people aboard a Kenmore Air seaplane were rescued Thursday evening after the aircraft crashed into the water near Sucia Island in the San Juan Islands during a scheduled flight from Seattle.
Kenmore Air said its de Havilland DHC-3 Otter, operating as Flight 140, departed Seattle’s Lake Union at approximately 4:30 p.m. Thursday en route to Roche Harbor on San Juan Island. The aircraft went down in Shallow Bay near Sucia Island at about 5:15 p.m.
The airline confirmed there were 10 passengers and one pilot on board. All occupants were rescued following a large emergency response involving the U.S. Coast Guard and local first responders.
Orcas Island Fire & Rescue said everyone aboard was safely removed from the water and received medical attention or transportation from the scene. Kenmore Air later confirmed that all passengers and the pilot had been accounted for.
According to the airline, two injured passengers were transported to a hospital in Bellingham, while two others were taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The remaining seven passengers were transported to a U.S. Coast Guard facility for further medical evaluation.
San Juan County Sheriff Eric Peter said one of the four injured passengers was in critical condition.
The crash prompted a coordinated response from the U.S. Coast Guard, San Juan County emergency responders, and local fire and rescue agencies. Rescue crews worked quickly to reach the aircraft and assist those on board.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. Federal investigators are expected to examine the incident as authorities work to determine what led to the aircraft going down.
Kenmore Air is one of the Pacific Northwest’s best-known regional airlines, operating scheduled seaplane and wheeled aircraft service between Seattle, the San Juan Islands, British Columbia, and other destinations throughout the region.
This is a developing story. Seattle Today will provide updates as more information becomes available.
