A Navy Poseidon surveillance plane veered off the runway after approaching a Marine Corps base in Hawaii on Monday, landing in Kaneohe Bay. Marine Maj. Jordan Fox confirmed that the nine passengers on board the plane, who were all members of the VP-4 squadron, were unharmed. Despite the mishap, the aircraft remained structurally intact and no hazardous materials were reported to have been leaked into the water.
Divers were dispatched to the scene in order to search for any potential dangers posed by the plane. Booms were also put in place to prevent hazardous materials from spreading. A spokesman for the Navy announced that an investigation is currently taking place in order to determine the factors that contributed to the mishap. The P-8A Poseidon, which says it was created for long-range patrol and reconnaissance missions, has two engines and can reach a length of over 129 feet. It’s unclear what caused the plane to overshoot the runway, but authorities are actively working to find out.
Squadrons stationed at the Whidbey Island were on a detachement in support of maritime homeland defense. Despite the unexpected turn of events, all nine passengers aboard the aircraft were safely evacuated and unharmed. Each member of VP-4 squadron, also known as the Skinny Dragons, which specializes in long-range submarine hunting and surveillance missions, were accounted for following the incident.
