U.S. Navy Plane Lands in Water After Overshooting Runway in Hawaii
Nine Navy personnel were onboard when the jet made the crash landing, authorities confirmed on Monday
A U.S. Navy plane crash landed into the water in Hawaii after overshooting a runway at a military base.
The P-8A Poseidon plane crashed into Kaneohe Bay off the Hawaiian island of O'ahu on Monday with nine passengers onboard after missing its target landing at the Marine Corps Hawaii base, authorities confirmed, as reported by the Associated Press.
The incident occurred at around 1:57 p.m. local time during a “routine training” session with the crew, military officials said per local outlet Hawaii News Now. The nine passengers were rescued and found to be uninjured by the landing once they made it back to the shore, according to the outlet.
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.
The Boeing 737 passenger plane has been seen in photos and clips circulating online partially submerged in the shallow waters following the crash landing.
It is thought that the incident may have happened due to foggy and windy weather conditions in the area, but an official reason for the crash landing has not been confirmed.
“The pilot probably didn’t put the plane down exactly where he wanted to on the runway,” aviation expert Peter Forman told Hawaii News Now. He explained that the Kaneohe runway is also shorter than most runways, adding another possible reason for the landing.
“It’s probably a combination of all those factors put together, ” Forman said.
Related: Pilot Asked Air Traffic Control to Tell His Parents He Loved Them Before Fatal Crash: Report
According to Thomas Vaughan, who is a meteorologist in Honolulu, visibility in the area was reduced to approximately one mile at the time of the incident, the AP reported.
Eye witness Diane Dircks from Illinois, who was on a family trip at the time of the crash, told the AP, “We went running over to the end of the dock, and I took some pictures. It was unbelievable.”
The crew onboard the fallen aircraft were “on a detachment in support of maritime homeland defense,” Navy Lt. Mohammad Issa told NBC News.
An investigation is now ongoing following the crash.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
