10 passengers rescued after seaplane carrying US tourists crashes near Bahamas resort

Ten people, including American tourists, have miraculously survived after a seaplane carrying passengers crashed into the waters near a luxury resort in the Bahamas.

The dramatic incident unfolded as the charter aircraft, a 2014 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan seaplane operated by Tropic Ocean Airways, was making its final approach to land near the resort island.

According to local authorities and aviation officials, the seaplane encountered severe difficulty during touchdown, causing the aircraft to impact the water violently before coming to a stop.

Witnesses on the shore reported seeing the plane hit the surface at an awkward angle before taking on water, prompting an immediate, large-scale emergency response from nearby boaters, resort staff, and local coast guard units.

“It was a chaotic scene, but people moved fast,” one witness recalled. “Boats instantly raced out to the crash site to start pulling people out of the water before the plane started sinking further.”

The plane was seen partially submerged in the water (WSNV)

A Miraculous Rescue Operation

Thanks to the rapid response of local Good Samaritans and first responders, all eight passengers and two crew members were safely evacuated from the wreckage and brought to shore.

Local authorities expressed immense gratitude to the boat captains and resort workers who rushed into action without hesitation.

“The quick thinking of the boaters who immediately headed toward the crash site saved lives today,” a local police spokesperson stated. “Thanks to their brave efforts, a potential tragedy was averted.”

Jeanne O’Brien, one of the tourists on board, recalled the the terrifying moment she realised the plane was going down, moments before impact.

“We were headed out into the ocean to take off, but we were right next to the fairly large marina, and we were, I don’t know, just a ways away from the dock, and all of a sudden, the dock started getting closer and closer, and one of the people in the plane behind me said, ‘Where are you going?’ And then it just was ‘boom,’ and it hit,” O’Brien told news outlet WSVN.

Despite the harrowing ordeal, officials confirmed that while several passengers suffered minor cuts, bruises, and severe shock, no life-threatening injuries or fatalities were reported—an outcome aviation officials have called "nothing short of a miracle."

Jeanne O’Brien was one of the passengers on board (WNTV)

Investigation Underway

The Civil Aviation Authority and local law enforcement have launched an official investigation into the cause of the crash.

Initial reports suggest environmental conditions or sudden mechanical issues during the landing sequence may have played a role, though aviation inspectors are working to salvage the submerged aircraft to conduct a thorough examination of its components.

Tropic Ocean Airways said in a statement to ABC News that the aircraft was “involved in a mishap while taxiing before departure” and that the company is “cooperating fully with the applicable authorities.”

For now, the surviving tourists and crew are recovering from the terrifying ordeal, immensely grateful to the heroic locals who pulled them from the water.