Seaplane crashes and burns near Sucia Island, all 11 survive

A Kenmore Air floatplane carrying 11 people crashed near Sucia Island in Washington’s San Juan Islands and caught fire, but authorities said all 11 survived. The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received the report at about 5:25 p.m. local time Thursday, while the Federal Aviation Administration said the de Havilland DHC-3 Otter went down around 5:20 p.m. after an emergency landing near the island.

The wreck happened in a stretch of water north of Seattle where floatplanes are a routine part of regional travel. Reuters said the aircraft made the emergency landing before catching fire, and that everyone aboard was accounted for after the rescue operation. The response drew the U.S. Coast Guard and local rescue agencies, reflecting how quickly an aviation accident on the water can become a maritime emergency.

ABC News reported that multiple people were injured, including one critically. Even with those injuries, the outcome was far better than the fire and impact suggested at first report, with all 11 occupants eventually surviving the crash. Kenmore Air identified the aircraft as one of its floatplanes, a de Havilland DHC-3 Otter.

Kenmore Air chief executive David Gudgel said the company was cooperating fully with investigators and would continue providing verified information as it became available. The airline describes itself as serving direct seaplane flights to the San Juan Islands and Canada, making the incident especially consequential for a carrier that operates a heavily used regional route network.

The crash adds scrutiny to floatplane safety in the Pacific Northwest, where water landings are central to transportation across island communities and coastal destinations. Near Sucia Island, the immediate question was not just how the aircraft came down and burned, but how 11 people got out alive from a plane that ended the day in flames.