The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed Thursday that a Kenmore Air seaplane went down near Sucia Island in Washington state, carrying 11 people on board. The aircraft made an emergency landing before bursting into flames, but all passengers and crew were located following a rescue operation.
Kenmore Air identified the aircraft as a de Havilland DHC-3 Otter that had taken off from Lake Union in Seattle. The incident occurred in Shallow Bay near Sucia Island at approximately 5:15 p.m. PDT. Sucia Island is part of Washington state’s San Juan Islands, situated north of Seattle close to the Canadian border.
A photo released by the Coast Guard showed the seaplane engulfed in flames while resting on the water at the crash site.
The Coast Guard, along with Canadian and local emergency responders, deployed multiple resources to carry out the rescue. “Several patients are being transported to local hospitals for medical evaluation and treatment,” the Coast Guard stated.
Kenmore Air confirmed there were 10 passengers and one pilot on board. According to the airline, two injured passengers were taken to medical facilities in Bellingham, while two additional injured passengers were brought to Orcas Island for evaluation and care.
CEO David Gudgel released a statement saying, “Kenmore Air is fully cooperating with the investigating authorities, and we will continue providing verified information as it becomes available.”
Kenmore Air, which was founded in 1946, is considered the largest seaplane airline in the United States. The company transports more than 90,000 passengers each year through scheduled, scenic, and charter flights, according to its website.
