The United States Coast Guard (USCG) successfully rescued four individuals and a dog following a plane crash in Tampa Bay on Tuesday. "A crew from the USCG Air Station in Miami was dispatched to assist after a small aircraft plunged into Tampa Bay, carrying four people and reportedly a dog," the agency announced via Twitter.
"All of the passengers were safely pulled from the water with the support of Good Samaritans and firefighters from St. Petersburg," the statement continued. The plane submerged near the Albert Whitted Airport, according to another tweet.
In a video released by the Coast Guard, Lieutenant Chad D. Paulson, the co-pilot of an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft from Miami's Air Station, recounted his involvement in aiding the four individuals after their plane crashed into the bay.
Impending Hurricane Milton's Potential Role
The crash occurred as Hurricane Milton is set to approach the Tampa Bay area, already causing adverse weather conditions that might have contributed to the incident. Milton is advancing towards Florida as a devastating Category 5 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds reaching 160 mph (260 km/h).
As of 5:00 a.m. CDT this Wednesday, the hurricane's eye was located approximately 160 miles (255 km) west of Dry Tortugas and around 300 miles (485 km) southwest of Tampa.