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Six Said Killed in Plane Crash Off Miami
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- A seaplane carrying at least 16 people crashed Monday off Miami Beach within sight of the city's high-rises, and at least six people were killed, authorities said. Scuba divers and rescuers in speedboats struggled to reach the victims. The propeller-driven Chalk's Ocean Airways plane went down around 2:30 p.m. "We're still trying to get people out of the water," said Javier Otero, Miami Beach Fire Department support services chief.Law enforcement officers searched for victims via boats and helicopters and were joined by others in private boats, on Jet Skis and on surfboards. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Chris O'Neil said at least six bodies were recovered. A witness, Frank Amadeo, told WSVN-TV that he saw a huge explosion in the sky and the plane fall behind a condominium tower on Biscayne Bay in Miami Beach. The Coast Guard said the cause of the crash was not immediately known, and it could not confirm whether there had been an explosion. The National Transportation Safety Board said it will investigate. Otero said the plane was one that regularly flies to and from the Bahamas, but he did not immediately know whether the aircraft was incoming or outgoing. TV helicopter footage showed debris in Government Cut, the channel that ships take past South Beach into the Port of Miami. Chalk's Ocean Airways was founded in 1919. Its floating planes take off on the water. Chalk's aircraft have been featured in TV shows such as "Miami Vice."
According to FlightSafe Consultants' Airline Safety Web site, Chalk's has had no known fatal accidents. Similarly, the NTSB database shows no fatal accidents for Chalk's since 1982, when the database started. The airline had no comment after the crash. Posted by: Steve 2005-12-19 |
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