CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Pilot rescued hours after plane crash in Everglades
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (CBS NEWS) — The pilot of a small plane that crash landed in southwest Broward County spent nine hours during the overnight in the gator- and bug-infested Florida Everglades while he waited to be rescued, authorities said.
The pilot was the only person on board the single-engine Cessna Skyhawk 172M aircraft when it went down around 2:20 a.m. Tuesday in the area of Mack’s Fish Camp, which is located at 18599 Krome Ave., according to Broward County rescue officials.
He suffered minor injuries and was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood for treatment, according to a written statement by the Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue & Emergency Services Department.
Pilot rescued from Everglades on October 31, 2023 (Photo:
WFOR/CBS News)
The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the incident, that left the pilot stranded overnight, officials said.
The man was plucked in dramatic fashion from the Everglade by a rescue chopper that dangled a first responder on a rope and who had to hoist the pilot up into the chopper.
Live video from the scene from Chopper 4 showed the man standing on the wing of the plane that was virtually fully submerged in the Everglades.
It was also not immediately known where the plane was traveling to when it went down. But Broward officials said the plane is believed to be based out of a Miami-Dade flight school.
Broward Sheriff’s Fire Rescue learned of the downed aircraft around 10 a.m.
Miami Dade Fire Rescue was requested to respond with their helicopter to perform a hoist operation, to safely remove the patient from the aircraft, authorities said.
This incident was located in a very isolated area of the Everglades.
