Plane crashes into ocean off Cape May

CAPE MAY — A small plane crashed into the ocean on Wednesday morning, prompting a rescue operation by the Coast Guard.

An individual notified the Coast Guard at 11:23 a.m. they had witnessed a small, single-engine plane go into the Atlantic on the bay side of Cape May Point and become submerged, Petty Officer Andy Kendrick told Townsquare Media.

Video tweeted by CBS Philly showed the plane flying long along the beach before hitting the water.

The Federal Aviation Administration said one person was on board the Mooney M20J aircraft that crashed in the water approximately 1,200 feet from the Cape May Lighthouse. The aircraft departed Trenton-Robbinsville Airport in Robbinsville about 8 a.m, according to the FAA.

Two boats and a helicopter were dispatched by the USCG, and lifeguards swam out to the plane, according to Kendrick. Cape May Fire and Rescue was also dispatched.

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