Pilot Swam To Shore After Landing Small Plane In Waters Off FL Coast: Reports

BOCA RATON, FL — A 23-year-old pilot swam to shore after landing her small plane in Atlantic waters off Boca Raton on Saturday morning, multiple reports said.

Faith Tenkley, who was flying her family's twin-engine piper, told Gulf Coast News that she maneuvered the aircraft around buildings and avoided paddleboarders.

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The plane, which flew out of Page Field in Fort Myers, went down near 250 S. Ocean Blvd. around 9:40 a.m., reports said.

Tenkley, who has been a pilot for four years, was headed to South Bimini Airport in the Bahamas, about 144 nautical miles away from where she departed, WPBF said.

Watch the full video filmed by a beachgoer shared by CNN here.

After she began experiencing mechanical issues, an emergency was declared, reports said. Her plane was initially cleared to land at Boca Raton Airport, but authorities later decided it was safer for Tenkley to land in the water.

Boca Raton Police, Boca Raton Fire Rescue, the U.S. Coast Guard and members of Boca Raton Ocean Rescue responded and helped at the scene.

Tenkley was uninjured during the incident, but brought to an area hospital out of precaution, police said.

The Federal Aviation Authority is leading the investigation.

Her aircraft remained at Silver Palm Park, where it was being disassembled by the FAA, on Sunday, Boca Raton Recreation Department said.

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