Adults Held Kids Over Their Heads, to Keep Their Heads Above Water

The Air Sunshine Cessna 402 (file photo, right) radioed a Mayday while nearing Treasure Cay, Bahamas on Sunday. The pilot had a problem with the starboard engine, according to his Mayday call at 3:35PM, made just moments before the airplane (which had departed Ft Lauderdale at 2:25) hit the surf, nine miles shy of the airport. A fellow pilot relayed the information to the FAA, and the search was begun. Thanks to the fellow pilot and fast rescue efforts, nearly everyone survived.

The body of a female passenger was recovered. There is another passenger reported in critical condition; the four children aboard the flight are reportedly going to make it. [Note: we have another report, also unconfirmed, that a 3-year-old girl died in the crash --ed.]

That the kids are doing well is a tribute to the adults, who, according to local reports, hoisted the little ones over their heads, to give them a chance to breathe.

Eight of the survivors were taken to Rand Memorial Hospital in Freeport, Bahamas; the ninth survivor "isn't here," according to a spokesman, who didn't know where the ninth person was.
 
**   Report created 7/14/2003   Record 11    **
IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 314AB        Make/Model: C402      Description: 401, 402, Utililiner, Business
  Date: 07/13/2003     Time: 2230
  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
  City: TREASURE CAY BAHAMAS   State:    Country: US
DESCRIPTION
  AIR SUNSHINE N314AB, C402C, DITCHED IN THE OCEAN UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, TEN PERSONS WERE ON BOARD, ONE WAS FATALLY INJURED, ONE SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES,  NINE MILES WEST OF TREASURE CAY, BAHAMAS
INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:  1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   1     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   9     Fat:   1     Ser:   1     Min:   7     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
WEATHER: UNK
OTHER DATA
  Activity: Business      Phase: Unknown      Operation: Air Taxi (On Demand)
  Departed: FORT LAUDERDALE, FL         Dep Date: 07/13/2003   Dep. Time: 1827
  Destination: TREASURE CAY, BAH        Flt Plan: UNK          Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont: UNK
  Last Clearance: UNK
  FAA FSDO: FT LAUDERDALE, FL  (SO17)             Entry date: 07/14/2003