A small twin-engine plane operated by Haitian carrier ZED Airlines made an emergency landing into coastal Caribbean waters near Lafiteau on Wednesday morning. The water landing forced its pilot and two passengers to swim to safety after the plane went down shortly before noon.
ZED Airlines identified the aircraft as a Cessna 402B registered under the tail number HI-1056, operating as Flight 6502 on a route from Cap-Haïtien to the capital, Port-au-Prince, the airline said in a media release obtained by NTD News. The incident occurred around 11:00 a.m.
The airline confirmed in its media release that the three individuals are "currently being cared for and are receiving all necessary assistance and support."
ZED Airlines credited the outcome to the pilot's quick thinking and skilled response when speaking to The Mirror. The incident ended without tragedy thanks to the pilot's expert handling and swift response on the ground, the airline said.
Aviation authorities have launched a full inquiry into the cause of the emergency. ZED Airlines said its technical team would participate in the assessment alongside government officials, though no details on a possible mechanical failure had been released as of Wednesday. According to The Mirror, the Cessna 402B was built in 1972, and the condition of the aircraft was still being evaluated.
"The safety of our passengers, our crews, and our operations remains our absolute priority," ZED Airlines said. The airline pledged to issue further updates once verified information becomes available.
The Haiti incident follows other recent aviation accidents in the United States in recent months involving smaller aircraft.
Investigations into both U.S. crashes remain open and are being led by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.