Plane crashes into Jacksonville-area river, after flying from Guantanamo Bay with 143 aboard: reports

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article stated in the headline there were 142 people on board. The number of people has since been updated to 143 by officials. 

Nearly 150 passengers were unharmed after a Boeing 737 that had travelled from Naval Air Station Guantanamo Bay crashed in the St. Johns River near Naval Air Station Jacksonville, reports said Friday night.

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The plane, a Miami Air flight, ended up in the water but was not submerged, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office tweeted.

Every passenger was alive and accounted for, with 21 adults being transported to hospital in good condition.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the plane was chartered by the Department of Defense (DOD) for a flight from Guantanamo Bay to Jacksonville, CBS News transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave tweeted Friday.

News 4 Jax also reported the plane’s origin, citing a release from Naval Air Station Jacksonville.

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Capt. Michael Connor, the commanding officer of NAS Jacksonville, said during a news conference that passengers were a mix of civilian and military personnel. Some were staying in the area, while others were set to fly on to other parts of the country.

While the crash certainly wasn’t ideal, Connor acknowledged that it could have been much worse.

“I think it is a miracle,” Connor said. “We could be talking about a different story this evening.”

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The White House had been briefed and was offering support, WJXT 4 reporter Vic Micolucci tweeted.

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Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry tweeted that teams were working to control any jet fuel in the water.

It isn’t clear how long the plane will be in the water before teams are able to remove it, but Connor said the landing gear appeared to be resting on the river bed, making it unlikely for the aircraft to float away.

Officials did not immediately say what caused the plane to leave the runway. Boeing said in a tweet Friday night that it was investigating: “We are aware of an incident in Jacksonville, Fla., and are gathering information.”

*with files from the Associated Press