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Bahamas Declines Probe of Florida Ditching; All 11 Rescued

5/15/2026

36 8 Full Breakdown

Center

Ian Nixon Ditches Safely

Bahamas’ Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority said it will not investigate the ditching because it occurred outside Bahamian territorial waters.
Pilot Ian Nixon ditched a Beechcraft King Air 300 off Florida’s east coast, rescuing all 11 aboard to hospitals.
The 920th Rescue Wing located the raft after five hours and airlifted survivors.
After treatment at Holmes Regional Medical Center, Nixon was flown home to Nassau by officials.

Left

Ian Nixon Rescues

Rescuers from the 920th Rescue Wing lifted all 11 survivors with only five minutes of fuel left in their helicopter.
Pilot Ian Nixon’s aircraft ditched, and all 11 Bahamian passengers were rescued.
The passengers spent roughly five hours in a single small life raft before rescue.
Survivors reported severe physical and emotional distress, underscoring the need for rapid emergency response.

History

Historical Context

On January 13 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 struck the 14th Street Bridge and plunged into the Potomac, killing 78 of 79 aboard. The U.S. Park Police helicopter and civilian volunteers rescued five survivors, prompting the NTSB to overhaul de-icing rules and pilot-training standards. Those reforms underpin today’s coordinated rescue operations such as the Air Force’s 920th Rescue Wing.

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Ian Nixon Ditches Safely

Bahamas’ Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority said it will not investigate the ditching because it occurred outside Bahamian territorial waters.
Pilot Ian Nixon ditched a Beechcraft King Air 300 off Florida’s east coast, rescuing all 11 aboard to hospitals.
The 920th Rescue Wing located the raft after five hours and airlifted survivors.
After treatment at Holmes Regional Medical Center, Nixon was flown home to Nassau by officials.

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