7 rescued after seaplane incident near PortMiami
MIAMI — Seven people were rescued after an incident involving a seaplane near PortMiami on Friday afternoon.
CBS News Miami had Chopper 4 over the scene near the eastbound lanes of the MacArthur Causeway, where a seaplane was seen partially submerged in Government Cut with its propeller still spinning.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the single-engine Cessna 208 overturned while landing at the Miami Seaplane Base around 1:40 p.m.
Around 2:20 p.m., law enforcement received the call, prompting three Miami-Dade Police Harbor Patrol boats — that were nearby for routine cruise ship security — to respond. Upon arrival, MDPD Harbor Patrol immediately rescued the seven passengers aboard the plane.
A Miami-Dade Fire Rescue boat arrived shortly after to medically evaluate the passengers. Fortunately, nobody was injured, MDFR told CBS News Miami, and they were then taken to a triage center nearby for further evaluation.
According to flight data from FlightRadar24 and FlightAware, the plane flew out of Palm Beach International Airport around 1:04 p.m.
All eastbound lanes were at a near standstill as law enforcement and rescue personnel diverted traffic coming to and from Miami Beach. Additionally, it was unknown at the time whether the plane had affected cruise ship arrivals and departures.
The plane was later towed back to a nearby dock across the main ship channel.
According to a source familiar with the incident, one of the plane's sponsons (or floats) had taken on water, causing an unstable list. The plane's cabin was close to the water but still dry when first responders arrived.
Miami-Dade Police, along with the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), is currently investigating the circumstances leading up to the incident.
