'I'm Okay': Pilot Speaks After Plane Plunged Into Bay Off Miami Beach
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MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami) - A plane plunged into Biscayne Bay off Miami Beach Friday afternoon.
Witnesses watched it happen. Ryan Amoils and his friends were on a boat nearby.
"I saw the corner of my eye the banner dropped in the water and then plane started commit coming directly at us," said Amoils.
Chopper4 was over the scene where you could see rescue crews near a yellow piper plane in the water.
Amoils says he wanted to make sure the pilot was okay. He says he jumped in the water and swam closer to the plane.
"The guy was fine, give me a thumbs up, got the door open. He handed me all his stuff," said Amoils.
Miami Beach Fire officials said the piper plane had engine troubles.
The pilot claims he lost power, dropped the banner the plane was carrying and landed in the water.
The pilot told the witnesses that he was aiming for the golf course but the plane didn't have enough power and he ended up landing in the water.
The pilot made it out of the plane, was taken to shore by some Good Samaritan. He was eventually taken to Miami Beach Marine Patrol headquarters where he met with police and FAA officials.
While he was leaving the patrol headquarters he said, "Luckily I'm okay. Nobody was hurt and no property was damaged."
