Air Force Reservists Save 11 From Atlantic Ocean Crash

Fifteen Air Force reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing pulled off what their commander called "pretty miraculous" when they saved all 11 survivors of a plane crash in the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday.

The Beechcraft twin-turboprop plane went down about 80 miles off Melbourne, Florida, after experiencing engine failure on a flight from the Bahamas to Freeport. An emergency signal alerted authorities around 11 a.m., and by the time rescuers arrived, the Bahamian passengers had been bobbing in a life raft for five hours.

The timing couldn't have been more fortunate. The 920th Rescue Wing crew had just finished a training exercise near the Space Coast when the emergency call came through. "We were about two minutes from jumping into the Banana River," said Captain Rory Whipple, a combat rescue officer. "Basically, what we were about to train, we did it for real."

The team dispatched an HC-130J Combat King II transport plane and an HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter from Patrick Space Force Base. Major Elizabeth Piowaty, commanding the Combat King, said her crew spotted the life raft within minutes of arriving and immediately air-dropped two additional rafts plus survival supplies including food, water, and basic tools.

Then the real work began. The helicopter crew used a bucket and hoist to lift all 11 survivors from the ocean while dodging thunderstorms and monitoring fuel levels. The entire operation took about two hours from scramble to delivery at Melbourne Orlando International Airport, where medical teams were waiting.

All 11 survivors were reported in stable condition. The survivors had no radio, and a thunderstorm was closing in when rescuers arrived, making the successful outcome even more remarkable.

The Ripple Effect

This rescue marks the first mission for the 920th Rescue Wing's new Jolly Green II helicopter, christening the next-generation aircraft with a perfect save. Based at Patrick Space Force Base, the wing specializes in combat search and rescue worldwide but also responds to civilian emergencies along the Space Coast.

The 920th has now completed more than 4,000 rescues. Their most famous operation saved 1,043 people after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005. They've also rescued people from Texas floodwaters during Hurricane Harvey and pulled stranded boaters from the ocean hundreds of miles offshore.

Lieutenant Colonel Matt Johnson emphasized what makes these weekend warriors special: "Yes, we are reservists. But we train to and exceed the standards of the rescue community."

For eleven people who watched their plane go down in the ocean, that training meant the difference between a terrifying ordeal and a story of survival they'll tell for the rest of their lives.