Navy rescues two civilians after plane crash in the Caribbean Sea

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170928-N-NM806-2013 CARIBBEAN SEA (Sept. 28, 2017) Sailors escort a rescued resident of French Guadalupe on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) following a search and rescue (SAR) mission for a private aircraft off the coast of the island Dominica. Wasp is currently participating in humanitarian relief efforts on Dominica following the landfall of Hurricane Maria. The Department of Defense is supporting the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the lead federal agency, in helping those affected by Hurricane Maria to minimize suffering and is one component of the overall whole-of-government response effort. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Taylor King/Released)

The U.S. Navy rescued two civilians off the coast of Dominica after their small plane crashed into the Caribbean, ABC News reports.

The amphibious assault ship Wasp was contacted by the French Coast Guard via bridge-to-bridge radio that a blue and white civilian Cessna with two people on board went down in the Caribbean, said Cmdr. Mike Kafka, a spokesman for Fleet Forces Command.

The Wasp responded, sending an MH-60S helicopter to search for the downed aircraft. They located the two male passengers after a 45-minute search and transported them to the Wasp, where they’re being treated by the ship’s medical team.

The Wasp is part of Joint Task Force – Leeward Islands and has assisted in relief efforts following Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

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Mackenzie Wolf is an editorial intern for Military Times.