Man Rescued After 9 Hours When Small Plane Crashes in the Florida Everglades
Authorities said that the pilot of a Cessna 172 was taken to a hospital after his plane crashed on Tuesday
Authorities rescued a pilot after his small plane crashed in the Florida Everglades early Tuesday morning.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said that around 10:20 a.m. local time, the department “responded to assist the Broward County Sheriff's Office in a mutual call involving reports of a small plane down in the area of Mack’s Fish Camp located at 18599 Krome Ave in Southwest Broward.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is investigating the incident, told PEOPLE in an email that the incident involved a Cessna 172 airplane.
Based on preliminary information, the agency said "the plane was reported to have crashed on a levee" just after 10 a.m. local time. The NTSB further added that only the pilot was aboard.
Related: Pilot and Passenger Rescued From Plane After it Crashes Into 100 Ft. Power Lines in Maryland
CBS affiliate WFOR-TV reported that the aircraft went down at about 2:20 a.m., per Broward County rescue officials, resulting in the man being stranded for about nine hours.
Aerial footage broadcast on NBC affiliate WTVJ-TV showed the man sitting and standing on a wing of the plane.
PEOPLE reached out to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue for additional information.
Related: Kayakers Save Pilot from Icy Creek After Plane Crash in Maryland: 'Their Efforts Were Heroic'
A helicopter was sent to rescue the stranded pilot, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
“Due to the remote location of the incident and difficult terrain,” their statement continued, “Air Rescue North (ARN) arrived on scene to conduct a hoist operation in order to rescue the patient from the downed aircraft and provide medical care. One adult patient was safely removed from the aircraft, and then airlifted to a local-area hospital in Broward County.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Related: Florida Pilot Rescued After His Plane Crashed Into Gulf of Mexico: 'I Started to Freak Out'
According to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Chief Michael Kane, the pilot was fortunate to sustain only minor injuries as a result of the crash.
“To be able to seemingly walk away with just a leg injury after putting an aircraft down in the Everglades with the thick brush is an amazing feat," he added. "We’re very grateful that he is okay.”
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
