A Holland American Line cruise ship rescued a pilot in the Pacific Ocean after his plane experienced a mechanical issue with the fuel system 225 nautical miles from Maui, Hawaii.
Louis Morton was flying his single engine Cirrus SR-22 over the Pacific Ocean when the plane ran out of fuel. He contacted the U.S. Coast Guard which contacted the Veendam, a cruise ship that was in the area and currently on an 18 day Hawaiian cruise.
Morton deployed the plane’s parachute system immediately after the plane’s engine stopped. When the plane crashed into the water, he quickly exited the aircraft and climbed into a liferaft as the plane sank.
A lifeboat from the Veendam was lowered into the water and rescued Morton. The U.S. Coast Guard caught the entire incident on film and you can watch it all unfold on the video below.
