BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. — The pilot of a small plane that crashed in Florida's Everglades was reportedly stranded for nine hours overnight.
CBS Miami reports the pilot was the only person on board a single-engine Cessna Skyhawk 172M aircraft that went down at approximately 2:20 a.m. Tuesday. The Broward County Sheriff's Office first posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, about the incident at 10:41 a.m. Tuesday, saying rescue teams were operating near Krome Avenue in the area of Mack's Fish Camp.
The National Transportation Safety Board is now investigating what led to the crash.
Dramatic, aerial video of the rescue shows the pilot sitting on the plane's wing just above the surface of the water. A rescue chopper then lowered a first responder from a rope to hoist the pilot into the safety of the helicopter.
Authorities told CBS Miami in a statement that the man had only minor injuries.
Broward County Fire Battalion Chief Michael Kane called the pilot "quite lucky" and said he's "very grateful that he's OK."
Anyone familiar with the Everglades knows how dangerous it can be, particularly if you're stranded there by yourself overnight. Alligators, crocodiles, snakes, insects and spiders are just some of the animals one can encounter in the Everglades.
The National Park Service encourages vistors to give wildlife plenty of space and to learn to recognize "signs of alarm."
"If you sense that an animal is disturbed by your presence, back off. If it still does not resume its normal behaviors, please retreat and leave the area," The National Park Service website reads.
"If you choose to venture into the wilderness, remember that you are a guest in the homes of the animals you seek."