Five people, including an 8-month-old baby, survived a plane crash near the Bahamas late Monday night and were rescued after floating in a life raft for several hours, the U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Bahamas Defence Force confirm.
The single engine Cessna was on its way from Crooked Island to New Providence Monday evening when it went down just miles away from its intended destination. Air traffic controllers lost contact and notified the U.S. Coast Guard at 7:30 p.m.
A joint search was launched immediately using an RBDF patrol boat assisted by a U.S. Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter.
"At approximately 10:20 p.m. ... the command center received a report from the aircrew aboard the MH-60 aircraft that they located the five people floating on a life raft approximately nine nautical miles southeast of Nassau," the Coast Guard said in a news release. "The Royal Bahamian Defence Force arrived on scene, safely embarked the five people and transported them back to the Bahamas."
Pilot Anthiqueko Gibson, 26, was rescued along with passengers Lorenzo Moss, 47, Autoria Moss, 27, Andre Gibson, 22 and Andrew Gibson, 8 months, the RBDF said.
All five survivors are Bahamian nationals and all appear to be in good health, according to the RBDF.
