Four men and a small dog were rescued after a private plane crashed in Florida’s Tampa Bay on Tuesday morning local time, authorities said.
Passengers were trying to leave the area before Hurricane Milton hit, St. Petersburg Fire Department spokeswoman Ashlie Handy told CNN .
The accident occurred around 10:50 a.m. local time east of the St. Petersburg Pier.
“The six-passenger Cherokee plane crashed immediately after takeoff from Albert Whitted Airport due to engine failure. The plane fell into the water 274 meters east of the Pier and was completely submerged when crews arrived,” said Handy.
A person and an officer from the St. Petersburg Police Department who were aboard a private boat removed the passengers, described as men between 25 and 40 years old, and the dog from the water.
Three of the passengers were treated at the scene and taken to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
Almost unprecedented rapid intensification
Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified to a nearly unprecedented level, reaching Category 5 status due to record heat in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It is currently in category 4.
It is expected to grow in size, meaning that while it may shrink in category, its dangerous impacts will be spread over a much larger area.
The storm is expected to reach the Florida Gulf coast this Wednesday (9), when it should be category 3.
Hurricane Milton was considered the strongest storm on the planet in 2024, with sustained winds of 281 km/h.
Recently, Hurricane Helene made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast as a storm surge and made landfall in the swamp region as a Category 4 hurricane.
Authorities are asking residents — still recovering from Helene’s damage — to evacuate or prepare for another life-threatening storm.
This content was originally published in Men and dog fleeing Hurricane Milton are rescued after plane crash on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
