The U.S. Coast Guard on Saturday suspended its search for the captain missing after a plane crash in the Atlantic Ocean near Miami.
The Coast Guard said it searched for 68-year-old captain Robert Hopkins for about 21 hours and concentrated in an area of 364 square nautical miles.
“Suspending a search is never an easy decision and a lot of factors are considered and calculated before we make that decision,” Capt. Megan Dean, commander of Coast Guard Sector Miami, said in a statement on Saturday. “We have been in regular contact with the family members throughout our search efforts and extend our sympathies for what we know is a very difficult time for them."
One person who sustained injuries was rescued after the Conquest Air 504 went down about 13 miles east of the Bay Harbor Islands.
#Update #Happeningnow, correction to the initial report of the downed aircraft, the type of aircraft is a Conquest Air 504 that was reported down approx 13 miles east of Bay Harbor Island FL. 1 person hoisted from wreckage, search continues for reportedly 1 person missing.
— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) February 8, 2019
Footage showed that a Coast Guard helicopter rescued him from the water using a basket to hoist him up, with wreckage from the plane floating nearby.
First officer Rolland Silva, 28, was airlifted to a local hospital by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, according to Conquest Air Cargo. He suffered a broken leg and several lacerations.
According to the FAA, the plane with two on board departed from Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nasaau, Bahamas, and was heading to Opa-locka Executive Airport when it went down around 12:15 p.m.
