In a miraculous development, all 11 people aboard a Kenmore Air seaplane survived a fiery crash near Sucia Island in Washington State on Thursday (US time) evening. In light of the current situation at hand, the American airline announced a major update, confirming that all of its scheduled flights for the following day, July 24, have been cancelled as the carrier focuses on supporting the impacted passengers, employees and emergency response efforts.

Kenmore Air crash: What happened

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and local authorities, Kenmore Air’s DeHavilland DHC-3 seaplane crashed around 5:20 local time on July 23 (US time). All 10 passengers and the plane’s pilot were rescued from the water, as per the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office. However, multiple were injured, with one person left in critical conditions after the blazing tragedy.

The flight originally took off from Lake Union in Seattle with 10 passengers and a pilot on board. Local reports from Seattle, including those from an NBC affiliate, indicated that the plane was headed for Roche Harbor when it was forced to make an emergency landing. The Kenmore Air plane eventually caught fire as it performed the manoeuvre in Shallow Bay near Sucia Island.

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According to a statement issued by Kenmore Air, four injured passengers were taken to PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center in Friday Harbor, the other six were transported to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham. Meanwhile, the pilot was transferred to Skagit Valley Hospital for evaluation and
treatment.

The cause of the crash has yet to be determined. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are heading the investigation.

Videos of Kenmore Air seaplane crash go viral

Several footage of the unprecedented crash seen by eyewitness have since started circulating on social media. One video shows dark plumes of smoke rising to the skies with the seaplane crash wreckage lying right beside a water body.

Another clip captured from a civilian boat caught a sight of the jet’s low-altitude flight moments before the crash. At first, the aircraft appears to descend further towards water. It eventually flies off camera behind the trees. Seconds later, a loud thud is heard in the distance.

At least one civilian boat witnessed the event and helped rescue the plane’s passengers out of the water, San Juan County Sheriff Eric Peter told ABC News. “Swift actions from everyone prevented this from being worse,” he added, noting that the plane was already ablaze and sinking by the time the sheriff’s office arrived at the crash site.

The air disaster triggered a large emergency response, as officials from the US Navy and the Coast Guard got involved in post-crash operations to contain the incident.

Friday’s Kenmore Air flights cancelled

Kenmore Air has since cancelled flights scheduled for Friday, July 24. The company said that passengers impacted by the cancellations will be contacted directly for rebooking or refund options, KING 5 News (NBC Seattle) reported.

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“We recognise this disruption may affect our customers’ travel plans, and we sincerely appreciate their patience and understanding during this difficult time,” the company said in a statement quoted by the local US news outlet.

“Our thoughts remain with everyone affected, and we are grateful to the United States Coast Guard, local emergency responders, and our community partners for their swift response and continued support. We will continue to provide updates as additional information becomes available.”

Kenmore Air CEO, David Gudgel, has also issued a statement of his own in the aftermath of the blazing crash.

“We are grateful that everyone aboard has been accounted for, and our immediate focus is ensuring our passengers and pilot receive the care and support they need,” he said, as quoted by ABC News. “We extend our sincere thanks to the United States Coast Guard, local emergency responders, and everyone assisting in the response. Kenmore Air is fully cooperating with the investigating authorities, and we will continue providing verified information as it becomes available.”