An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Press Release | Nov. 7, 2023

Coast Guard, partners, good Samaritan respond to plane crash near Marathon

MIAMI — The Coast Guard, partner agencies, and a good Samaritan responded to a plane crash approximately 3 miles north of Marathon, Florida, Tuesday.

Sector Key West command center watchstanders received notification from Air Traffic Control Key West at approximately 2:30 p.m., notifying them of a downed aircraft near Marathon.

The watchstanders launched a Coast Guard Station Marathon rescue crew to the scene to assist and put out an urgent marine information broadcast alerting mariners in the vicinity. Partners from Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office also responded.

At 2:50 p.m., the boatcrew located the single-engine, fixed-wing aircraft crash site, where the only person on the aircraft was located aboard a good Samaritan's vessel.

The Marathon crew transferred the man aboard their boat and transported him to awaiting emergency medical services personnel at Coast Guard Station Marathon.

Coast Guard pollution responders are monitoring the scene and commercial salvage operators are determining appropriate actions to address the wreckage.

"Massive thank you and a job well done to the good Samaritan that assisted in this rescue," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Timothy Worthen, a Coast Guard Station Marathon coxswain. "This individual's life was saved due to their actions."

 

The U.S. Department of Defense is committed to making its electronic and information technologies accessible to individuals with disabilities in accordance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended in 1998. DoD websites use the WCAG 2.0 AA accessibility standard.

For persons with disabilities experiencing difficulties accessing content on a particular website, please use the form DoD Section 508 Form.  In this form, please indicate the nature of your accessibility issue/problem and your contact information so we can address your issue or question. If your issue involves log in access, password recovery, or other technical issues, contact the administrator for the website in question, or your local helpdesk.