https://cbs12.com/news/local/3-pulled-from-atlantic-ocean-after-small-plane-crash-off-vero-beach-florida-vero-beach-airport-indian-river-county-sheriffs-office-helicopter-hawk-june-2-2025(took a while to piece this together, and I seperated Search, and Rescue. Kudos to the Jason, the private pilot who was so key in them being found)
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — Three people were pulled from the Atlantic Ocean after their single-engine aircraft crashed off Vero Beach on Sunday night.
The Indian River County Sheriff's Office (IRCSO) said that at 8:24 p.m., deputies received a report of a small plane that had crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, around four miles east of Vero Beach Airport.
According to IRCSO, the last known contact with the aircraft was made about one mile offshore, just east of South Beach in Vero Beach.
Multiple agencies, including marine units from IRCSO, Indian River County Fire Rescue, the Vero Beach Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, and two helicopters, joined forces for the rescue mission located one mile east of 1706 Ocean Drive. The report states that IRCSO's helicopter, known as "Hawk," located three people in the water.
Rescue vessels were directed to their position, and a rescue swimmer was deployed to assist the survivors. Fortunately, all three occupants were rescued and transported to the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Fort Pierce, per IRCSO.
Officials said that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been alerted and are now overseeing the investigation into the crash.
