Survivors in plane crash rescued from sea after 5 hours

©Peter Pryharski via Unsplash

"It's a miracle they survived," U.S. Army Capt. Rory Whipple told CBS News after a plane crashed off the coast of Florida.

Eleven survivors of a plane crash off the coast of Florida in fact endured five fearful hours on a life raft in the ocean before they were miraculously rescued. This was reported by several American media outlets.

The small plane was believed to have taken off from the Bahamas on Tuesday and was flying toward Freeport, Texas. The plane ran into trouble, had to make an emergency landing about 130 kilometers from the U.S. city of Melbourne in Florida and eventually crashed into the ocean. At 11 a.m. local time, the Coast Guard broadcast a distress signal and immediately launched a rescue operation. A military helicopter that happened to be training nearby was diverted to assist in the search.

The 11 adults were eventually found on a life raft in the ocean. The military calls the fact that they can recount the plane crash as "a miracle."

"They had been on the raft for about five hours," Captain Rory Whipple tells CBS News, adding that they were clearly in distress physically, mentally and emotionally. According to Whipple, it's rare for people to survive something like this. Dehydration posed the greatest threat, and the occupants of the plane obviously could have been seriously injured. Moreover, the crew had no communication means and did not even know help was on the way until the helicopter suddenly flew right over them.

All survivors were hoisted aboard the helicopter and taken to the Melbourne, Florida airport. All are now in stable condition. All occupants of the small plane survived the crash.

©Peter Pryharski via Unsplash - illustration image of a U.S. Navy helicopter