US Navy P-8A Poseidon Ends Up in Ocean After Overshooting Runway
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A Navy aircraft overshot a runway amid rainy weather at a Hawaii military base on Monday, plunging into Kaneohe Bay, yet all nine occupants emerged unharmed, authorities confirmed.
Coast Guard spokesperson Petty Officer Ryan Fisher indicated that the Coast Guard responded to the incident, but rescue operations were swiftly terminated as "it sounds like all parties involved were rescued," according to AP news.
Gunnery Sgt. Orlando Perez, a Marine Corps spokesperson, lacked details on the cause of the P-8A aircraft veering off the Marine Corps Base Hawaii runway.
Witness Diane Dircks captured a photo displaying the plane in the water close to the shore, reminiscent of the 2009 "Miracle on the Hudson," where a Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger-piloted jet made a successful emergency landing in a New York river, ensuring the survival of all 155 passengers.
The P-8A and the Airbus A320 flown by Sullenberger share a similar size comparison.
Dircks, a witness visiting from Illinois, described spotting the plane while returning from a shortened pontoon boat trip due to inclement weather. She promptly took photos upon noticing the aircraft in the water.
"It was unbelievable," Dircks expressed, emphasizing that her daughter's binoculars for birdwatching facilitated observing the plane and the subsequent arrival of rescue vessels.
The Honolulu Fire Department received a 911 call reporting a downed aircraft around 2 p.m. local time amid cloudy and rainy conditions, as indicated by spokesperson Malcolm K. Medrano.
National Weather Service meteorologist Thomas Vaughan cited visibility around 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) during the incident.
The P-8A, manufactured by Boeing and used for submarine tracking, reconnaissance, and intelligence gathering, shares components with the 737 commercial jet.
The involved aircraft is under the ownership of the Skinny Dragons of Patrol Squadron 4 stationed in Whidbey Island, Washington, with patrol squadrons now operating on a rotational basis in Hawaii.
Situated approximately 10 miles (16 kilometers) from Honolulu on Oahu, Marine Corps Base Hawaii accommodates around 9,300 military personnel and 5,100 family members, serving as a crucial military installation on the island. The base is positioned along Kaneohe Bay, known for its coral reefs and marine biology research institute at the University of Hawaii, serving as a habitat for hammerhead sharks' breeding.
