Pilots rescued after cargo plane crashes in ocean off Hawaii
A cargo plane made an emergency landing in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii early Friday and both people on board were rescued. The pilots of the Transair Flight 810 reported engine trouble and were attempting to return to Honolulu when they were forced to land the Boeing 737 in the water, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.
'Rescuers spotted the debris field and two people in water'
US Coast Guard Lt. Commander Karin Evelyn said in an email that they received a report around 1:40 am of a downed inter-island transport plane. "About an hour later, rescuers in a Coast Guard helicopter spotted the debris field and two people in the water," Evelyn said. "One person was hoisted into the helicopter and taken to Queen's Medical Center," she said.
Two people rescued were in serious condition with multiple injuries
"The Honolulu Fire Department rescued the other person," she said. Their identities were not immediately released. Queen's officials said a 58-year-old was in the intensive care unit in critical condition, according to Hawaii News Now. A boat brought the other 50-year-old to shore before being transported to the hospital in serious condition with a head injury and multiple lacerations, Hawaii News Now reported.
Coast Guard will evaluate the pollution at first light: Evelyn
The plane debris remains, Evelyn said, and the Coast Guard will evaluate pollution at first light. According to the state Department of Transportation, the plane debris was found about four miles (6.5 kilometers) off Oahu. The plane was flying from Honolulu to Maui.
NTSB will send a team of ten investigators
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident, with NTSB sending a team of ten investigators. The Boeing 737 first flew in the late 1960s and is the most popular airline plane still in production. Boeing has delivered more than 10,500 of them and has unfilled orders for about 4,000 more, mostly for 737 Max.
Here is the tweet by NTSB
UPDATE: NTSB sending total of 10 investigators for investigation of Friday’s Transair 737-200 crash in waters off the island of Oahu near Honolulu. 2 investigators set to arrive Friday evening, remainder set to arrive late Saturday afternoon (local time).
— NTSB_Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) July 2, 2021
Plane involved in Friday's incident is 46 years old
Over the years, about 200 737s have been destroyed in crashes and several hundred others have been involved in less serious accidents and incidents, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. The plane involved in Friday's incident is 46 years old. It is an earlier version of the 737 than the 737 Max, and US airlines no longer use older ones for passenger flights.
We are closely monitoring the situation in Honolulu: Boeing
Boeing said in a statement, "We are aware of the reports out of Honolulu, Hawaii, and are closely monitoring the situation. We are in contact with the US National Transportation Safety Board and are working to gather more information."
