A seaplane transporting 11 people on board crashed off the coast of Washington state, potentially caused by weather conditions. All passengers and the pilot were accounted for, and everyone was transported to local hospitals, with one in critical condition.
According to the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office (SJCSO), the incident occurred on Thursday, July 23. At around 5.30 p.m., the sheriff’s office began receiving several 911 calls from witnesses reporting a plane crash at Shallow Bay/Sucia Island.
A total of 10 passengers were traveling on a Kenmore Air de Havilland DHC-3 Otter aircraft alongside the pilot. Fortunately, every single soul on board was accounted for and rescued from the water.
Still, footage of the near-tragic incident was shared online. This, in conjunction with the reported injuries, raised many questions about what had occurred.
Footage Shows Plane in Flames
Videos of the crash recorded by witness Monica Scott and shared by ABC News showed the aircraft flying straight into the rocks on the Washington shoreline. The impact could be heard from a distance, with witnesses gasping as a result.
Moments later, witnesses traveled by boat to the crash site. There, passengers can be seen exiting the seaplane, helping each other while Good Samaritans, arriving first at the scene, lend a hand. Multiple agencies, including various U.S. Coast Guard stations, the U.S. Navy, and even the Canadian Coast Guard, among others, responded to the crash site.
Shortly after the crash, the aircraft was engulfed in flames. Footage shows the witnesses travelling on a boat at a distance while a black cloud emerges from the soon-to-be-charred remains of the de Havilland plane.
Reported Injuries
According to the SJCSO, injuries ranged from head injuries to broken bones and lacerations. One of the plane passengers was reported in critical condition. Kenmore Air shed some light on the state of the passengers through a series of media statements shared online.
Six passengers were transported to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham while the remaining four were rushed to PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center in Friday Harbor. Meanwhile, the pilot was transferred to Skagit Valley Hospital.
As of 12 p.m. on Friday, July 24, three of the passengers remained hospitalized. In this update, the airline also shed some light on what happened before the crash.
Thunderstorm Avoided
According to the airline, there was a “weather system” in the area, based on available weather radar information. The Associated Press reported that the weather system was a thunderstorm.
As per Kenmore Air, the pilot had “adjusted the flight path” to avoid the thunderstorm. This, inevitably, led to the crash.
Furthermore, the airline clarified that the aircraft had passed all required inspections. Its latest 100-hour inspection took place on June 25, 2026, less than a month after the crash, while its annual inspection was completed on January 26, 2026.