{"id":22723,"date":"2018-09-28T06:27:37","date_gmt":"2018-09-28T06:27:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/09\/28\/plane-crashes-in-pacific-lagoon\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:58:33","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:58:33","slug":"plane-crashes-in-pacific-lagoon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2018\/09\/28\/plane-crashes-in-pacific-lagoon\/","title":{"rendered":"Sailors rush to save passengers when plane crashes in Pacific lagoon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WELLINGTON, New Zealand \u2014 Everybody survived a plane\u2019s crash landing in a Pacific lagoon Friday morning, with boats helping rescue more than 40 people from the half-submerged aircraft in the Micronesia archipelago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Air Niugini<\/a> plane hit the water short of the runway while trying to land at Chuuk Island<\/a>, according to the airline. Seven people were taken to a hospital, according to officials, including one described as being in a critical but stable condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Striking footage shows people being rescued in boats in images reminiscent of the 2009 crash landing in New York City known as the \u201cMiracle on the Hudson<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really fortunate that we didn\u2019t have any fatalities,\u201d said Glenn Harris, a government aviation security inspector for the Federated States of Micronesia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harris said the plane left from the Micronesian island of Pohnpei about 700 kilometers (435 miles) to the east before making the water landing a little before 10 a.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said he has yet to see a passenger manifest, but he understands at least 30 passengers and 10 crew members were aboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
This Oct. 28, 2017, photo shows the runway at the Chuuk Airport in Weno, Federated States of Micronesia. An Air Niugini plane hit the water short of the runway Friday morning while trying to land at Chuuk Island in the Federated States of Micronesia. All of the passengers and crew survived the crash landing of the plane in a Pacific lagoon. (Nicole Evatt\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One of the reasons so many passengers might have survived before the airline sank into 100 feet of water is the quick work of Navy sailors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Members of Underwater Construction Team 2 were conducting operations near the lagoon and sailors immediately began shuttling passengers and crew to show using their inflatable boat, according to the 30th Naval Construction Regiment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The crew\u2019s chief hospital corpsman rendered medical aid to at least one passenger who sustained minor injuries, Navy officials added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UCT 2 is working to revamp Chuuk\u2019s wharves and restore the coral reefs that have been damaged by boat anchors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
This photo provided by Blue Flag Construction shows an Air Niugini plane floating in Pacific lagoon after its crash-landing in Pacific lagoon near Chuuk Airport in Weno, Federated States of Micronesia on Friday. All of the passengers and crew survived the crash landing. The Air Niugini plane hit the water short of the runway while trying to land at Chuuk Island, according to the airline. (Blue Flag Construction via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The typical passengers would be business people from Micronesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia, Harris said, as well as some tourists. Chuuk is known for its world-class diving to see shipwrecks in the clear waters, including 50 vessels sunk during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harris said he doesn\u2019t know what caused the crash landing or whether the pilots had alerted air traffic control of any problems. He said an investigative team would be on the ground in Chuuk by tomorrow morning to figure out what went wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said that the latest reports he\u2019d heard indicated the plane remained afloat in the lagoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The airline said in a brief statement that everybody aboard the Boeing 737 was able to safely evacuate, and the airline was making all efforts to ensure the ongoing safety of the passengers and meet their immediate needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air Niugini is the national airline of Papua New Guinea and has operated since 1973. The fleet includes Boeing 767 and 737 jets for international routes, according to the airline, as well as Fokker F-100 aircraft, Q400 and Dash 8 aircraft for challenging local terrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air traffic website Flightradar24 said the flight was PX73. It identified the plane as a 737-800 with the registration number P2-PXE. Flight histories show that aircraft has been used on a number of routes recently, including to Manila, Sydney and Singapore.<\/p>\n\n\n\t