Latest news with #TreasureCoast
The Independent
a day ago
- General
- The Independent
Deputies dramatically rescue three men left treading water in darkness after their plane crashed off Florida coast
New video shows the moment rescuers saved three men after they were left treading water when their plane crashed along Florida 's Treasure Coast last weekend. Officials received a distress call at 8.24 p.m. Sunday from a single-seated Cessna 172 Skyhawk as it plunged into the waters off Vero Beach after the pilot reported engine issues. The aircraft took off from Flagler Executive Airport in Palm Coast, 150 miles to the north, just before 7 p.m. The alert sparked a multi-agency search and rescue mission. It was the Indian River County Sheriff's Office helicopter, 'Hawk,' that found the three in the water using its thermal imaging and infrared cameras. Sheriff Eric Flowers said in a press conference Monday that the helicopter pilots were unable to find any visible debris from the crash, describing the rescue mission like 'looking for a needle in a haystack' in the middle of the ocean. Instead of debris, Flowers said that helicopter pilot Deputy Jonathan Lozada eventually noticed 'three heads bobbing in the water' around 8.45 p.m. Lozada told the media that conditions were stacked against the rescue teams. 'It was very dark out there,' he said in a press conference Monday. 'Even though we have night vision goggles, we're still very limited on visibility. So for us to be able to go that far offshore, it's just unsafe for us.' Lozada said the three passengers might never have been found if more time had elapsed. At around 9:50 p.m. Sunday, officials from the Air and Marine Operations, an operational component of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, found two survivors in the water, the agency said. 'Coast Guard, Coast Guard, you have two that you're in contact with. There is one more at about your 11 o'clock. He's drifting off by himself,' one of the helicopter pilots said in a video of the rescue shared by the sheriff's office on Facebook. The third man was pulled out of the water shortly after he was spotted. Bodycam footage from an Air and Marine Operations agent showed the moment one of the survivors was assisted up to the boat using a rope. The man, who later identified himself as the pilot, stated that only three people had been on board the plane. 'We have three,' he said. 'We are three.' Flowers said that the pilot appeared to be in the worst condition and in the most distress. The man was recorded screaming as he was transferred to the Coast Guard 45-foot vessel for Emergency Medical Technician evaluation after complaining of 'severe rib pain,' according to the CBP. All three survivors were taken to Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce for further medical treatment. The sheriff's office said the victims are in stable condition. Assistant Fire Chief Steve Greer of Indian River County Fire Rescue said that the three survivors attempted to swim to shore. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the cause of the crash. A preliminary crash report was expected to be available on Tuesday. The plane was headed for Vero Beach Municipal Airport and had been due to land around 8:30 p.m. local time.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
A behind the scenes look at reporting for a 2025 hurricane season guide
As the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season's official start on June 1 neared, reporter Gianna Montesano spent time compiling the latest information on shelters, emergency contacts and tornado safety tips to educate readers. She used the county emergency management divisions to compile local information and national hurricane forecasts for this story. 2025 hurricane season: What to know about forecasts, shelters, safety tips, emergency alerts and more Why was this an important local story to report? Whether you've lived on the Treasure Coast your whole life or have only recently moved here, it's always good to get a refresher on hurricane safety and the upcoming season. There's a recurring joke on social media that Floridians don't need to prepare for a hurricane because it's never as bad as forecasters say it will be. It couldn't be further from the truth, as we've seen hurricanes Ian, Helene and Milton — just to name a few — upend communities and leave behind death, destruction and fear as the communities attempted to rebuild. It's also important to learn from past years, like 2024 when at least 14 tornadoes hit the Treasure Coast ahead of Hurricane Milton's landfall. While it's not a surprise that tornadoes can touch down in Florida, it's important to be aware that it can happen and how to stay safe if it does happen. Was there anything you couldn't answer when reporting this story? If so, why not? The weather is unpredictable, so the one thing I wish I could have answered is if we're going to be hit by any hurricanes on the Treasure Coast. What's next with this topic? Throughout hurricane season, TCPalm and the USA Today network will provide coverage of any potential threats forming in the tropics to keep the community informed about how our area could be affected. Where can residents go to get more information? Residents can go to their county's emergency management pages with additional information on pet-friendly and special-needs shelter registration, evacuation zones, disaster planning and more. Here are the county websites where more information is readily available online, including the portals to signup for the county alert system. Martin County: St. Lucie County: Indian River County: Is there anything residents can do to get more involved with this topic? Stay informed throughout hurricane season by keeping up on local news, county alerts and weather forecasts, especially when a threat is present. Gianna Montesano is TCPalm's trending reporter. You can contact her at 772-409-1429, or follow her on X @gonthescene. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: 2025 hurricane season safety, forecast guide for Florida
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
5 homegrown businesses on Treasure Coast sell shrimp, chips, wine, beer, pineapples
Hometown Area Local Day on May 25 celebrates what it means to be a local from your current hometown or from the town where you grew up. Here are five homegrown businesses on the Treasure Coast. Innovative, state-of-the-art indoor aquaculture farm that raises about 275 tons of Pacific white shrimp a year Started in 2012 in the back of a Hobe Sound fruit stand to make uniquely flavored tortilla chips, seasonings and salsas 10 acres with 6 miles of vines with two muscadine grape varieties: Carlos for white wines and Noble for red wines Fort Pierce: 5 facts about 124-year-old city on Treasure Coast Port St. Lucie: 5 things to know about Florida's sixth-largest city Treasure Coast's first craft brewery opened in 2013 and started canning its own beer for sale in 2017 after moving into larger location Grandson of a former citrus grove owner harvests thousands of pineapples a year on his family's 25-acre farm Laurie K. Blandford is TCPalm's entertainment reporter dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast. Email her at Sign up for her What To Do in 772 weekly newsletter at This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: 5 homegrown businesses sell shrimp, chips, wine, beer, pineapples
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
South Florida severe weather signals wet season is near
PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – Severe thunderstorms swept across South Florida on Friday, bringing damaging winds, hail and localized flooding in what could be a signal that the state's rainy season is quickly approaching. The storms, which developed with the enhancement of an old frontal boundary, caused notable damage in several areas. At the North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines, at least one plane was tossed by the gusty winds and trees and power lines were reported down in Broward County. On the Treasure Coast, hail the size of limes fell, which has only happened a few dozen times since the 1950s. Despite some residents believing a tornado had touched down, the National Weather Service said the damage was representative of gusty winds from a downburst. Downbursts are rapid columns of descending air that spread outward upon hitting the ground and can generate wind speeds that top 100 mph. Depending on their size and duration, these phenomena can be classified as either microbursts or macrobursts. While microbursts are smaller and more intense, macrobursts affect larger areas with slightly less concentrated winds. Further south in the Florida Keys, thunderstorm activity produced waterspouts and funnel clouds, but no damage was reported. New To Florida? Here's When The Sunshine State's Rainy Season Gets Underway The timing of the storms aligns with the onset of Florida's rainy season, which typically begins in mid to late May and lasts into September. The seasonal activity is primarily driven by high temperatures, bountiful moisture and converging sea breezes, which often is sufficient enough to trigger strong to severe storms. The duration and intensity of the rainy season can be influenced by global climate patterns such as El Niño and La Niña. During El Niño years, Florida's wet season may be delayed and less intense, while La Niña tends to accelerate the onset of daily thunderstorms and leads to increased rainfall. Current observations place the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, or what is known as the ENSO, in a neutral phase, with hints of La Niña stage. As a result, average to above-average rainfall is expected throughout much of the summer across Florida. The forecast comes as welcome news for drought-stricken regions across the state, particularly areas south of the Interstate 4 corridor. Although drought conditions still remain, consistent rainfall over the coming weeks may begin to alleviate the large deficits. Where You Can Ditch The Rain At Universal's Epic Universe Theme Park Historically, the first half of the rainy season tends to produce more intense thunderstorms, including frequent lightning, damaging winds and occasional large hail. The latter half often produces the highest rainfall totals, with fewer reports of damage. Florida's rainy season typically winds down by late September, at which point the focus shifts toward tropical systems and, eventually, cold fronts moving in from the north and article source: South Florida severe weather signals wet season is near
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX Starlink rocket launch Memorial Day weekend: Where to watch in Sebastian, Vero Beach
Can a rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, be seen farther south, in Treasure Coast skies? If the conditions are right, yes! And when this 'so Florida' thing occurs, it's very Instagram-worthy. Though rockets here launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center near Merritt Island, Florida, or Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, people from the Treasure Coast can sometimes see this phenomenon. Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, a rocket launch from Florida's Space Coast could be visible from Jacksonville Beach and Daytona Beach to Vero Beach and West Palm Beach (see videos and photo gallery with this story). When there's a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, there's an opportunity for unique photos — the rocket lights up the dark sky and the contrail after makes for a great photo. Below is more information on rocket launches in Florida and suggestions on where to watch them from the Treasure Coast. Rocket launch tally: Here's a list of all 2025 missions from Cape Canaveral, Florida (psst, there's a lot) For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@ or Space Reporter Brooke Edwards at bedwards@ For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit Mission: SpaceX will launch a payload of Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket into low-Earth orbit, a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory indicates. Launch window: 1:19 p.m. to 5:50 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 24, 2025 Launch location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Sonic booms: No Trajectory: Southeast Live coverage starts 90 minutes before liftoff at : You can watch live rocket launch coverage from USA TODAY Network's Space Team, which consists of FLORIDA TODAY space reporters Rick Neale and Brooke Edwards and visuals journalists Craig Bailey, Malcolm Denemark and Tim Shortt. Our Space Team will provide up-to-the-minute updates in a mobile-friendly live blog, complete with a countdown clock, at starting 90 minutes before liftoff. You can download the free FLORIDA TODAY app, which is available in the App Store or Google Play, or type into your browser. Dinner with a view: Treasure Coast restaurants with views of the ocean or river — and a rocket launch Sebastian Inlet State Park, 9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach, Florida (cost to enter) Wabasso Beach Park, 1808 Wabasso Beach Road, Wabasso, Florida Ambersands Beach Park, 12566 N. SR A1A, Vero Beach, Florida (free parking) South Beach Park, 1700 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach, Florida (free parking) Merrill Barber Bridge in Vero Beach, Florida Alma Lee Loy Bridge in Vero Beach, Florida Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, 905 Shorewinds Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida Blind Creek Beachside North and South, 5460 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida Blue Heron Beach, 2101 Blue Heron Blvd., Fort Pierce, Florida Frederick Douglass Memorial Park, 3600 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida Dollman Park Beachside, 9200 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida Herman's Bay Beach, 7880 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida John Brooks Park Beachside, 3300 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida Middle Cove Beach, 4600 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida Normandy Beach in Jensen Beach, Florida Pepper Park Beachside, 3302 N. SR A1A, Fort Pierce, Florida Walton Rocks Beach, 6700 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida (dog park) Waveland Beach, 10350 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida State Road A1A causeway in Stuart, Florida House of Refuge and beach, 301 S.E. MacArthur Blvd., Stuart, Florida This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: SpaceX rocket launch: Best places to see from Ft Pierce, Jensen Beach
