MIAMI – The U.S. Coast Guard, Bahamian Air Sea Rescue Association and Royal Bahamian Defence Force responded to a downed Piper aircraft in the waters approximately 23 miles northeast of Freeport, Bahamas, Monday.

Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos personnel received the report of a downed aircraft at about 11 a.m. Monday from air traffic control tower personnel at Grand Bahamas International Airport. Reports to the Coast Guard indicated the aircraft was going down due to engine trouble and the passengers were requesting assistance. The pilot had passed their tail call numbers before losing communication with the tower.

A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., C-130 aircrew launched and assisted in the search for the down aircraft. At approximately 12:30 p.m. RBDF smallboat crews located the downed aircraft with six persons aboard. All six survivors were transferred and it was later confirmed that all persons were accounted for with no reported injuries.