The crash occurred about 60 miles off the coast, HC130J Aircraft Commander Maj. Elizabeth Piowaty said in a May 13 press conference.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The crew was conducting overwater airdrop training, when the crew received news of a possible downed aircraft. A beacon provided the approximate location of the downed plane.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When rescue crews arrived, the crash victims had been in the water for about five hours, the crew said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Watch: Full press conference ![\"U.S.](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/8nnydurphxre8mjz.jpg\")
A race against time <\/p>\n
The rescue crew was battling a race against time as thunderstorms drew nearer and the aircraft was running on BINGO fuel \u2013 the time needed to have enough gas to get to the airport without refueling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After initially being told eight people were in the water, the crew found 11 in the water. The crew dropped a survival bundle with water and food. The main threat to the crash victims was dehydration, injuries and no communication, the airmen said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The rescue crew hovered about 10 feet above the water and inserted the pararescue team, who swam to the raft and assisted the crash victims with getting into a basket sent from the rescue craft for extraction and assessing the patients.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Due to storms developing in Central Florida on Tuesday, with heavy rains in Brevard County just before 2 p.m., the crew balanced fuel concerns and dodged thunderstorms. After the last person was taken out of the water, the craft had five minutes of gas remaining and didn’t need to refuel in-flight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
No plane wreckage was found on the scene, the crew said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/video-69.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
U.S. Air Force reserve conducted a water rescue after a plane crash near Melbourne. (Left to right: HC130J Aircraft Commander Maj. Elizabeth Piowaty,\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Where was the plane traveling to?\u00a0 <\/p>\n
The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was traveling between islands in the Bahamas when it crashed.<\/p>\n
Who was hurt?\u00a0 <\/p>\n
What we don’t know:<\/p>\n
The patients were transported to the Melbourne Airport, where they were then transported to hospitals for medical care.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The extent of the patients’ injuries is not known. All the patients were adults, the crew confirmed. Authorities haven’t confirmed who was flying the plane and the number of passengers on board of the 11.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0“Our job is to bring people back home alive,” Capt. Rory Whipple said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What’s next:<\/p>\n
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Authorities said more information would be released as it becomes available.<\/p>\n
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from the U.S. Air Force in a May 13 press conference.\u00a0<\/p>\n