Courtesy: Kenmore crash (X)
All 11 people aboard a Kenmore Air seaplane survived Thursday after the aircraft crashed and caught fire near Sucia Island in Washington’s San Juan Islands. The single-engine de Havilland DHC-3 Otter, operating as Flight 140, went down in Shallow Bay following an emergency landing that ended in flames along the rocky shoreline.
The flight departed Seattle’s Lake Union around 4:30 p.m. bound for Roche Harbor on San Juan Island. About 45 minutes into the trip, the floatplane ran into trouble and attempted an emergency landing near Sucia Island State Park. Witnesses reported watching the aircraft wobble low over the water before striking hard near the shore and igniting shortly after.
How rescue crews reached everyone aboard the Kenmore Air flight
Thick smoke rising from the water triggered an immediate large-scale response. The US Coast Guard received initial reports around 5:25 p.m. and deployed marine units alongside support from the US Navy, Canadian Coast Guard and local fire departments. Crews from Orcas Island Fire and Rescue, Lopez Island Fire and Rescue and the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office worked quickly to pull survivors from both the water and the shoreline.
San Juan County Sheriff Eric Peter confirmed that responders recovered all 11 occupants, including the pilot and 10 passengers. Several people required immediate medical stabilization, with injuries ranging from head trauma to broken bones and lacerations. One patient remained in critical condition, though officials reported no fatalities.
Emergency crews airlifted four injured passengers to regional hospitals, including PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham and facilities on Orcas Island. Responders evaluated the remaining passengers and crew at nearby staging areas and a Coast Guard station.
Kenmoore Air Crash at Sucia Island.
If you had someone you knew on this plane, they all made it off the plane before it blew up. All sustained injuries, I’ll update as I know more.@KenmoreAir pic.twitter.com/6yvbVGwW7R
— JMS (@JMSonaXX) July 24, 2026
What Kenmore Air said after the crash
Kenmore Air, the largest seaplane operator in the United States, carries tens of thousands of passengers across the Pacific Northwest each year. CEO David Gudgel confirmed the incident in a statement, expressing relief that everyone aboard had been accounted for. He thanked the Coast Guard and local responders for their work and said the airline’s immediate focus was on supporting the passengers and pilot.
Gudgel added that Kenmore Air is fully cooperating with investigators and will share verified information as it becomes available. The company also said it would not speculate on a cause out of respect for those involved in the crash.
What investigators are looking into
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have both opened formal investigations into the crash. Investigators plan to examine the aircraft’s charred remains and review flight data to determine whether mechanical failure, weather conditions or another factor caused the emergency landing.
Video and photos of the crash spread quickly online, showing the aircraft engulfed in flames shortly after impact. The investigation remains active, with no cause yet confirmed.
SOURCE: Hindustan Times
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