Shocking moment plane crashes into sea in front of stunned beach-goers as pilot hailed for ‘flawless’ move

THIS is the moment a plane plummeted into the sea in front of astonished beachgoers with the pilot lauded for her “flawless” decision-making. Footage shows the aircraft diving into the calm waters off Boca Raton, Florida. The plane crashed into the sea in Florida Credit: SCHDETF/x The single-engine plane landed off the coast of Boca Raton Credit: SCHDETF/x It is understood to have crashed into the ocean in the area of 250 South Ocean Boulevard around 10am on Saturday morning. The quick-thinking pilot, aged 23, reportedly suffered a mid-air fault and after losing communication with Air Traffic control, she decided to head to the coast, according to Boca News Now. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Videos and pictures show the small-engine plane completely submerged in the turquoise water following the crash landing. The pilot and sole occupant was taken to shore by lifeguards and as a precaution was transported to hospital. The pilot was rescued by lifeguards Credit: SCHDETF/x The sight stunned beachgoers Credit: SCHDETF/x It is understood the plane was heading from Fort Myers to Bimini when it crashed. The young pilot was cleared to make an emergency landing in Boca Raton but she continued to the ocean where crashed the plane, the outlet reports. Michael Arizzi and his wife were on a boat nearby when they noticed something was wrong. Arizzi said he works in aviation and has experience with aircraft maintenance. Most read in The Sun He said: “The plane got in front of Palmetto. “I’m like wow that’s really risky, before I noticed the plane go into a glide path. “At first you go, oh it’s not an emergency, it’s not an emergency, and then all of a sudden the plane hits the water.” Arizzi praised the pilot for the successful outcome. He said: “That’s kind of a flawless move for a pilot, is ‘hey let me land in the water off the beach where there’s lifeguards to help,’ so that was an excellent move on the pilot and doing so in which it didn’t put the public at risk.” Boca Raton Police said the FAA has taken are investigating the incident. Multiple Boca Raton Police Department boats were on the water as crews worked to pull the plane out. Brett Goorland, a tourist who had been snorkeling at nearby Red Reef Park, said he had a close-up view of the plane’s final moments in the air. He said: We looked down there was a school of snook, looked up, a plane came over us about 10 feet over us. “Bizarre sight for sure.” Last year a plane crashed into the sea at California after the engine cut out just minutes into the flight. Footage shows the single-engine aircraft skidding down onto the water after the motor packed it in. Comment now