Two Rescued From Downed Cargo Aircraft off Kalaeloa, Oʻahu

Two people were rescued after the Boeing 737 cargo aircraft they were piloting landed in the ocean off the coast of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, around 1:30 a.m. HST on Friday.

A spokesperson with the Federal Aviation Administration tells Maui Now that the pilots aboard Transair Flight 810 made an emergency landing in the ocean after reporting engine trouble. They were attempting to return to Honolulu when they were forced to land the aircraft in the water.

The US Coast Guard and Honolulu Fire Department rescued both crew members from the downed inter-island transport plane about two miles south of Kalaeloa.

Both people aboard were rescued by an Air Station Barbers Point MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and Honolulu Fire Department rescue boat and brought to The Queen’s Medical Center. The USCG reports that they are reported to be in stable condition at this time.

“Our crews often train closely with our counterparts in the Honolulu Fire Department for situations just like this one,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Masato Nakajima, a Sector Honolulu watchstander in a press release statement. “That training paid off and we were able to quickly deploy response assets to the scene and recover the two people aboard the aircraft.”

Teimour Riahi, CEO of Transair released a statement this morning saying, “Our most immediate concern is the care and recovery of our colleagues.”

Riahi said the company is working with the Coast Guard, the FAA and NTSB to secure the scene and investigate the cause.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.