Seattle float aircraft crash: nine believed dead

By Samantha Allen

Published: September 6, 2022 | 9:16 AM GMT

On Monday, the Coast Guard gave up looking for nine individuals, including a kid, who are still unaccounted for after a seaplane crashed in Washington’s Mutiny Bay not far from Seattle.

The choice to quit looking is never easy, according to Capt. Daniel Broadhurst, chief of the 13th Coast Guard District’s Incident Management Branch.

“The first responders’ hearts go out to anyone who lost a family member, a loved one, or a friend in the accident,” they all said.

On Sunday at roughly 3:30 p.m., the plane crashed while on route to Renton Municipal Airport after a 50-minute trip.

On Sunday in Friday Harbor, Chase Larabee was having fun on his powerboat when he just so happened to take a picture of the plane two days before it went down.

He said on Facebook, “A little weird as they interacted with a few individuals waiting for the jet today on their way to the port.” “I am familiar with the pilot and the airline operator since I work in the aviation sector.”

Both have flawless safety histories. We wish them eternal peace. Good Samaritans who saw the jet crash were the first on the site, according to the Coast Guard, and they were able to collect one dead passenger.

Sunday afternoon’s search for survivors was carried out by the Coast Guard, neighbourhood sheriffs, South Whidbey Island Fire and EMS, and the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station aircraft.

Two cutters kept an eye on the seas around the accident site from Sunday night into Monday.

The region was reportedly scoured for 2,100 nautical kilometres, according to the coat guard.

About 40 miles northwest of Seattle, near Mutiny Bay off the coast of Whidbey Island, an accident took place.

Around 18 minutes into the journey, the aircraft was last seen in the vicinity of Oak Harbor.

The float aircraft was a 55-year-old de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter, according to Flightradar24.

According to its website, the aircraft is owned by Northwest Seaplanes, a family-run company founded in 1988.

According to the company’s web page, “Northwest Seaplanes has documented over 24 years of accident and incident free flight.”

About Samantha Allen

Samantha Allen is a seasoned journalist and senior correspondent at TDPel Media, specializing in the intersection of maternal health, clinical wellness, and public policy. With a background in investigative reporting and a passion for data-driven storytelling, Samantha has become a trusted voice for expectant mothers and healthcare advocates worldwide. Her work focuses on translating complex medical research into actionable insights, covering everything from prenatal fitness and neonatal care to the socioeconomic impacts of healthcare legislation. At TDPel Media, Samantha leads the agency's health analytics desk, ensuring that every report is grounded in accuracy, empathy, and scientific integrity. When she isn't in the newsroom, she is an advocate for community-led wellness initiatives and an avid explorer of California’s coastal trails.