First witness shares rescue effort of floatplane crash near Sucia Island, WA
Witness describes floatplane crash rescue efforts
A witness to Thursday night's floatplane crash near Sucia Island is sharing his account of the emergency response.
SAN JUAN ISLANDS, Wash. - A bystander who was the first person to reach the scene of a floatplane crash near Sucia Island is sharing his account of the emergency response.
Yngve Paulsen and a friend were docked in Shallow Bay near Sucia Island when they saw the pontoon of a floatplane hit the water and heard a bang. The aircraft then began to burst into flames.
Rapid Response in a Small Vessel
Upon seeing the impact, Paulsen and his friend immediately boarded a dinghy and navigated toward the aircraft to assist.
What they're saying:
"We see the survivors sitting on the rocks around the airplane," Paulsen said. "The captain of the plane was inside the fuselage helping a wounded lady, so he was trying to get the last passenger out."
Unsure of the remaining fuel on board or the risk of an explosion, Paulsen and his friend quickly loaded the passengers into their dinghy to get them away from the burning wreckage.
"We started, you know, yelling," Paulsen said. "Everybody needs to go, go, go, go before this explodes."
11 people survive seaplane crash in San Juan Islands
A pilot and 10 passengers survived a seaplane crash in Washington's San Juan Islands on Thursday, miraculously walking away without any serious injuries.
Community Unites for Triage Effort
Local perspective:
Paulsen transported the survivors back to his boat, where they began triage.
Additional boaters and community members, including off-duty doctors and nurses camping nearby, quickly joined the effort to help treat the injured.
"It was like a community that came together," Paulsen said. "A bunch of strangers all congregated around my boat."
Units from the U.S. Coast Guard and several emergency response agencies arrived at the scene shortly after to take over care and airlift patients for further medical treatment.
Lasting Bond Among Strangers
Reflecting on the incident, Paulsen praised the immediate action of everyone who rushed to help during the crisis.
"I think anyone that is involved in this community would have done exactly the same thing," Paulsen said. "It's just a natural instinct."
Paulsen said he hopes to connect with the other individuals involved in the response, noting that the shared experience created a permanent connection among everyone at the scene.
"We'll always be bonded together one way or the other, as a result of this," Paulsen said.
The Source: Information in this story came from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.
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