Moment terrified passengers swim ashore after plane ditches into the sea

Terrified passengers were forced to swim to safety after their aircraft made an emergency landing in the sea. A Cessna 402B was travelling from Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, to the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, when it performed the emergency water landing shortly before midday on Wednesday.

The twin-engine turboprop, operating under ZED Airlines, came down in coastal waters near Lafiteau. The pilot and two passengers managed to escape the stricken plane after it went down in the sea and were photographed swimming to shore, where they received immediate assistance.

Video footage captured the aircraft in the water close to Ibo Beach, with passengers wading through the shallow waters towards land.

Emergency services attended to the three individuals, who are reported to be in a stable condition.

Aviation authorities and the airline’s technical team have launched a full investigation, with no preliminary details yet released regarding any possible mechanical fault.

The condition of the aircraft, which was built in 1972, is still being evaluated.

A spokesperson for ZED Airlines said those on board expressed relief that there were “no human losses to regret”.

It said passenger safety remained its priority and promised future updates as the investigation continues.

The airline praised the pilot’s expert handling and the swift response of ground crews for preventing the incident from ending in tragedy.