One Person Rescued, One Missing In Plane Crash Off Miami
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OFF BAY HARBOR ISLAND (CBSMiami) – One person was rescued from the water off Miami after a plane crash and one person is still missing.
The FAA confirms it is a Convair 131-B aircraft registered to Conquest Air Cargo in Miami Lakes, which flies daily from Opa-Locka Executive Airport to Nassau, Bahamas. The plane landed in the water about 20 miles southeast of Opa-Locka Airport about 12:15 p.m. Friday.
The company released a statement saying they were made aware that one of their cargo aircraft declared an emergency and attempted a water landing.
The U.S. Coast Guard, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, and Miami Fire Rescue responded to the scene for search and rescue.
There were two people on board but only one person was rescued. Chopper 4 was over the water when that man, in a yellow raft, was rescued.
The Coast Guard helicopter lowered a rescue basket and hoisted the man into the helicopter.
WATCH THE RESCUE HERE:
The survivor was identified as first officer, 28-year-old, Rolland Silva.
The FAA says the aircraft departed from Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, Bahama and was headed to Opa Locka when it went down.
A source tells CBS4's Jim DeFede Silva notified the Coast Guard that the other passenger was the pilot of the aircraft, a 71-year-old man who the survivor said was still strapped into his seat when the plane submerged.
Silva believes the pilot could not have made it out.
The Coast Guard remains on the site but all other units have withdrawn. The water depth makes it very difficult to recover the body of the plane.
The depth is approximately 1,000 feet, according to Miami Fire Rescue who assisted the Coast Guard for about an hour searching the debris for anyone else who may have made it out. They did not find anyone.
According to its website, Conquest Air is a cargo company providing daily air cargo service between Nassau and Miami.
