The Tribune

By KYLE WALKINE

Tribune Staff Reporter

kwalkine@tribunemedia.net

THREE American men are lucky to be alive and nursing minor injuries in the United States after their plane crashed in waters 25 miles west of Bimini yesterday morning.

The men were headed for Opa-locka, Florida from Great Harbour Cay in the Berry Islands when the Cessna 337 plane they were in crashed midway between Bimini and the US, The Tribune understands.

Operations Manager for Bahamas Air and Sea Rescue Association (BASRA) Chris Lloyd said that almost immediately after the plane hit the water the men were rescued by workers on a nearby cargo ship operating in the area.

The Tribune understands the men were rescued by crew members on board the Sea Express, a vessel under Seacor Island Lines.

The company’s CEO Mike LaFleur said the Sea Express was making a routine trip when they just “happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

“They basically watched the plane crash into the water,” Mr LaFleur told The Tribune yesterday. “They quickly jumped into action, pulled the men from the water and reported it to the authorities, including the US Coast Guard, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF). They then brought them back into the US.”

Mr LaFleur said the men did not receive any major injuries, only minor lacerations and bruises.

He said his crew are happy that they were able to assist in saving the lives of the three men. However, he said, they are trained to carry out such work.

As for the plane, Mr LaFleur said it is probably sitting in 12 ft of water on the Great Bahama Bank.

BASRA’s operations manager said the US Coast Guard already had a helicopter on the way, but then turned around after they were informed that there were no major injuries.

According to Mr Lloyd the RBDF and BASRA were on standby in case they were needed.

Seacor Island Lines has a fleet of seven vessels operating regularly in the Bahamas as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands.