A pilot crashed his Robinson R-44 helicopter into the water near Key Biscayne on Saturday after reporting engine problems.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating the crash, the four-seat helicopter crashed near Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park around 1:50 p.m.
The pilot, whose identity has not yet been released, managed to escape the terrifying incident with minor injuries.
Footage recorded after the crash showed frightened beachgoers gathering at the water’s edge, watching emergency services rush to the scene to rescue the pilot.
A video on the Only in Dade Instagram account showed a rescue helicopter hovering over the sinking Robinson R-44.
A Robinson R-44 helicopter crashed into the water near Key Biscayne, Florida, on Saturday after the pilot reported engine problems; in the photo: the sunken helicopter under water
Emergency services rushed to the pilot’s aid as frightened onlookers watched the rescue effort; in the photo: a rescue helicopter flying above the distressed pilot
“There was a helicopter crash,” the man who filmed the video said.
He slid the camera along the sparkling waters of Key Biscayne.
“The helicopter crash happened around here somewhere.”
In the video, other witnesses stood inches away from the lapping waves, their eyes straining to make out the downed helicopter.
‘There’s one more. And another one,” a young woman could be heard saying, referring to the approaching rescue helicopters.
Sheridan Flynn, who happened to be at the beach and witnessed the harrowing crash, took to X.com, formerly Twitter, to describe what he saw.
“I just witnessed a helicopter crash in the water just off Key Biscayne, Miami,” Flynn wrote. “I hope the occupants made it out okay.”
Flynn said the helicopter was flying in an unusual manner just before the crash.
“It appeared that the helicopter was flying low and very close to the water just before the crash.”
The witness then praised the efforts of the rescuers: “Emergency services and civilian vessels responded extremely quickly.”
Beachgoers witnessed the helicopter’s dramatic crash; in the photo: a rescue helicopter flying above the sunken plane
Flynn also shared a video of the helicopter after the crash, showing the overturned Robinson R-44 light aircraft bobbing rhythmically in the ocean swell.
The entire helicopter is underwater, except for the landing skids, which protrude a few meters.
In the distance a fleet of boats could be seen rushing to the pilot’s aid.
A witness told it NBC6 South Florida that the helicopter appeared to suffer a mechanical failure.
‘It appeared there was a mechanical failure when I saw the tail of the helicopter (‘side to side swinging’).
“And then I just saw him take a dive into the water.”
Although witnessing the helicopter crash was terrifying for many, witnesses were impressed by the speed with which emergency services came to the pilot’s aid.
“It was amazing to see that within 30 seconds or a minute a first responder was at the helicopter and pulled the pilot out of the water,” said a witness.
Another bystander told me News7 that he was ‘on the beach’ when the helicopter crashed into the water.
‘I was just laying on the beach and looking at the ocean. All of a sudden I see a helicopter coming a little low,” Christopher Rodriguez said.
“It keeps getting low, it keeps dropping, and all of a sudden, boom, it hits the ground really hard.”
People watched from the shore as a police marine performed a lightning-fast rescue; In the photo: the sunken helicopter floating in the water and rescue boats rushing to the pilot’s aid
Like the other witness, Rodriguez admired how quickly emergency services arrived on the scene.
“I have to say, I think it was the Coast Guard or the first responders, whoever arrived on the scene was very quick, I would say within a minute.”
“The helicopter wasn’t even fully submerged and the first responders were there,” Rodriguez added.
A police-marine unit is said to have rescued the pilot.
“I saw a raft appear and I think a man came up,” Rodriguez said.
“A couple helicopters came by, and that’s pretty much all that happened.”
FAA investigators said the pilot was the only person aboard the helicopter.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said the pilot suffered minor injuries but was not taken to the hospital.