By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT – Four persons were rescued after the plane they were on crashed in the mangrove swamp shortly after take off from the Grand Bahama International Airport.

Flamingo Air pilot Raymond Meadows and three passengers, including his wife, daughter, and an unidentified man were onboard on the Piper Aztec when it went down around 1.30pm on Tuesday, east of the airport.

According to reports, the victims were stranded at the crash site for a few hours in shallow waters until rescuers and police officers could reach them by canoe.

Asst Supt Loretta Mackey said police received a report around 1.35pm that a twin-engine plane had crash-landed in the mangroves some two miles east of the airport.

She said the aircraft encountered mechanical difficulties on take-off and the pilot decided to ditch the aircraft in the mangroves.

“None of the victims were injured, everyone is okay,” she reported.

The Tribune learned that the pilot and his family were flying to Eleuthera to attend a family funeral.

Freeport Aggregate allowed only the police, emergency personnel, and airport officials access through its property to the crash site.

The media was denied access by company officials. Relatives of the victims had also rushed to the area on learning news of the crash.

At about 4pm, the wife and daughter were the first victims rescued and taken by ambulance to the hospital.

Up until 5pm, rescue efforts were still underway for the pilot and a male passenger, who were still stranded out in the mangroves.

Getting to the crash site was a very difficult task for rescuers.

Ms Mackey said because of the dense mangroves and low tide conditions, a police boat could not be used to rescue the victims.

She said investigations are continuing into the accident.