A US Navy patrol aircraft, the P-8A Poseidon, has crashed into Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii after attempting to land on the runway of a military airfield. According to USNI News, the incident occurred when the reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft was making its landing approach at Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay on the island of Oahu.
“The aircraft landed and overshot the runway,” said Lieutenant Haley Harms, a representative of the Marine Corps base in Hawaii.
The plane touched down at 1:59 pm local time and ended up in the water near the shore. The main runway of the airfield runs from northeast to southwest.
At the time of the incident, there were nine people on board the aircraft, and they all managed to safely evacuate without serious injuries.
“They are still undergoing medical examination,” Harms clarified.
Emergency rescue services at the base, including federal firefighters, military police, air traffic control, and waterfront fire and rescue services, quickly responded to the scene.
The Honolulu Fire Department issued its first alert about a “possible aircraft fire incident” shortly after 2:00 pm.
It is currently unclear how the aircraft will be retrieved from the water and which agencies will be involved in the investigation of the incident.
“This matter is still being resolved,” emphasized Harms.
Images from Hawaii News Now photographer show a white aircraft surrounded by water approximately 50 meters from the shore. According to nautical charts, the depth of the bay in this area ranges from 2 to 7 meters. The bay’s seabed is mostly covered in sand, silt, and coral.
Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that three Russian fighters intercepted US Air Force B-52H bombers over the Sea of Okhotsk. No violations of national borders occurred during this operation. Similar incidents involving American aircraft happen quite frequently, and Russian planes also occasionally face interception by other countries’ aviation.
Previously, it was reported that Russian aircraft have been colliding with birds more frequently.
