10 rescued after small plane crash off Florida coast

Ten people were rescued after a small plane crashed off Florida’s east coast, according to officials.

The crash happened at about 2 p.m. Tuesday, about 50 miles from Vero Beach Regional Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The aircraft, a Beechcraft BE30, had departed from Marsh Harbor Airport in the Bahamas and was headed to Grand Bahama International Airport when it went down.

The U.S. Coast Guard said a C-27 aircraft was launched to search for the plane, which was reported to have crashed about 80 miles off Melbourne. All 10 people on board were accounted for and brought to emergency medical services for further evaluation.

Three people were transported to Health First Hospital, according to WESH. Brevard County Fire Rescue and Melbourne Fire Rescue assessed the other seven at Melbourne Orlando International Airport.

The FAA said the aircraft crashed into the ocean, possibly during rough weather, according to a statement. No details were immediately released about the extent of injuries among those on board.

Space Force officials told Florida Today that response operations were underway after what they described as a civilian aircraft incident. Rescue assets from the 920th Rescue Wing, including aircraft and emergency response teams, were deployed to support search and recovery efforts.

It was not immediately known how many of the 10 people were passengers or crew members, or what company was operating the flight. The cause of the crash is unknown.