One Crewmember With Mild Hypothermia After Plane Sinks

Jennifer Canfield/KMXT

An Island Air floatplane flipped and sank during takeoff in Long Lagoon yesterday afternoon. Two mechanics and a pilot were on board the DHC-2 Beaver which had landed about five miles northeast of Kodiak Island as part of a post-maintenance test flight.

National Transportation Safety Board Investigator Clint Johnson explains what happened:

— (Plane Sinks 1 :14 "While they were taxiing around they hit a submerged rock with one of the floats. Ended up putting a hole in the float and the airplane slowly sank but before it sank they were able to get a call off to their operations and that’s how the rescue started.")

Coast Guard Petty Officer First Class David Mosely says the crew then waited twenty minutes in the cold water for a nearby Navy vessel to rescue them.

— (Plane Sinks 2 :12 "One member was complaining of hypothermia and had the signs of mild hypothermia and requested EMS and the Emergency Medical Services met them at the pier and were able to take care of the individual.")

NTSB’s investigator says Island Air is hopeful that the plane will fly again.