A small airplane traveling from the Bahamas crashed about 80 miles off the coast of Melbourne, Florida on Tuesday. “C-27 was launched to search for an aircraft that crashed approx 80 mi off Melbourne. Reportedly, all 10 people are accounted for & are being brought to EMS for further eval. The cause of the crash is unknown. We will update with more info. as it becomes available,” the U.S. Coast Guard’s Southeast Division said. #Breaking @USCG C-27 was launched to search for an aircraft that crashed approx 80 mi off Melbourne. Reportedly, all 10 people are accounted for & are being brought to EMS for further eval. The cause of the crash is unknown. We will update with more info. as it becomes available. pic.twitter.com/VscO6KXI5U — U.S. Coast Guard Southeast (@USCGSoutheast) May 12, 2026 “All 11 people were located on a life raft and hoisted into a USCG helicopter,” FOX Weather stated. The survivors were transported to Melbourne Orlando International Airport and were all listed in stable condition. Watch below: HEROES IN ACTION. After a plane crashed off the coast of Melbourne, Florida, the heroic men and women of @USCGSoutheast RESCUED all 11 people onboard. Thank you to these heroes and all the @USCG personnel who work around the clock to protect our homeland. https://t.co/eeREtJ1NwB pic.twitter.com/XkcE09bg6M — Homeland Security (@DHSgov) May 13, 2026 FOX Weather shared further: The Coast Guard said the plane’s engines failed. Bahamian authorities will be investigating the cause of the incident. Weather conditions in Melbourne, Florida, consisted of 17 mph wind speeds, with a high chance for showers and thunderstorms, and an 80% chance of precipitation, according to the National Weather Service. The Coast Guard said all 11 people were brought to emergency medical services for further evaluation. “The outstanding support from Patrick Space Force Base and the seamless coordination among all responding agencies directly contributed to the successful rescue of 11 survivors from the downed aircraft,” Master Chief Petty Officer Omar Colon, a command duty officer of the Southeast Coast Guard District, said. “Their rapid response, professionalism and unwavering commitment to saving lives were instrumental in bringing everyone home safely.” The aircraft reportedly departed from Marsh Harbor, Bahamas, and was traveling to Freeport. Military officials called the rescue “miraculous.” “They had already been in the raft for about five hours,” Capt. Rory Whipple said, according to CBS News. “You could tell just by looking at them that they were in distress. Physically, mentally and emotionally,” Whipple added. Survivors of plane crash off Florida coast were on raft for hours, didn't know help was coming, military says. https://t.co/o9fiGdsDvJ — CBS News (@CBSNews) May 13, 2026 CBS News has more: He said they train for situations like that all the time, so for them it was “just another day at work.” But for those who survived the crash, it wasn’t. “Dehydration is probably, like, the biggest threat to them,” Whipple said of their possible injuries. “Also, it was a plane crash. So, possibly any kind of injuries.” It was likely an emotional time for the survivors. “They didn’t have communication,” he said. “They didn’t even know we were coming (to rescue them) until we were directly overhead.” Piowaty echoed those statements and described their rescue, which took place as a thunderstorm was about to roll in. “Once we flew over them and identified them, a thunderstorm was coming in, so they had their rain tarp over them for protection from exposure,” Piowaty said. She went on to say that surviving a crash in the ocean was rare. “I have not known anyone to survive a ditching in the ocean,” she said. “So, the pilot would be worried about the sea states, the crest. Trying to land at the slowest but safest air speed. And, from what I’ve seen, I mean, for all those people to survive is pretty miraculous.” How does that sound?