A pilot was rescued within 30 seconds after his flight ended in a shocking splashdown off Oak Island , North Carolina, when the single-engine plane ’s motor suddenly cut out mid-air.
Mark Finkelstein , who’s been flying for 17 years, was forced into a dramatic emergency water landing . The small aircraft somersaulted as it hit the waves, flipping upside down in front of stunned beachgoers who gasped, shouted “Oh my God!”, and rushed to watch the rescue unfold, The Sun reported.
Within seconds, heroic rescuers yanked Mark out of the submerged cabin—legs first—before whisking him to safety on a Jet Ski. Despite his head being underwater during the extraction, he managed to breathe once clear of the aircraft.
Two rescuers then assisted him onto a waiting Jet Ski, ensuring his safe return to shore. The plane remained afloat with its wings on the surface and the nose pointing downward.
Oak Island Fire Department reported that the aircraft came to rest mostly submerged in an upright position. Finkelstein survived by clinging to a small pocket of air in the rear of the cabin and was guided to safety by the rescuers.
He sustained only a cut on his leg, which required stitches at a hospital. Reflecting on the ordeal, Finkelstein said, “I was so fortunate that the impact didn’t injure me and doubly fortunate that the Oak Island Water Rescue got to me so quickly. That was huge. That was the key to the whole thing.”
He added, "I wasn’t focused on what I was going to do as a result of the crash, I was focused on the training and what I felt I needed to do. You know, get the door open before I landed, that sort of thing. I just focused on what I needed to do and wasn’t thinking further ahead than that." The swift response of the Oak Island Water Rescue was crucial in ensuring Finkelstein's survival, demonstrating the effectiveness of emergency preparedness and training in crisis situations.
Mark Finkelstein , who’s been flying for 17 years, was forced into a dramatic emergency water landing . The small aircraft somersaulted as it hit the waves, flipping upside down in front of stunned beachgoers who gasped, shouted “Oh my God!”, and rushed to watch the rescue unfold, The Sun reported.
Within seconds, heroic rescuers yanked Mark out of the submerged cabin—legs first—before whisking him to safety on a Jet Ski. Despite his head being underwater during the extraction, he managed to breathe once clear of the aircraft.
Man is saved by rescuers within 30 seconds after crashing his plane off the coast of Oak Island Pier in North Carolina.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 30, 2025
Drone footage captured rescuers rushing to pull the man out of his submerged plane after the crash.
According to investigators, the plane experienced an… pic.twitter.com/tkQXnzGwQd
Two rescuers then assisted him onto a waiting Jet Ski, ensuring his safe return to shore. The plane remained afloat with its wings on the surface and the nose pointing downward.
Oak Island Fire Department reported that the aircraft came to rest mostly submerged in an upright position. Finkelstein survived by clinging to a small pocket of air in the rear of the cabin and was guided to safety by the rescuers.
He sustained only a cut on his leg, which required stitches at a hospital. Reflecting on the ordeal, Finkelstein said, “I was so fortunate that the impact didn’t injure me and doubly fortunate that the Oak Island Water Rescue got to me so quickly. That was huge. That was the key to the whole thing.”
He added, "I wasn’t focused on what I was going to do as a result of the crash, I was focused on the training and what I felt I needed to do. You know, get the door open before I landed, that sort of thing. I just focused on what I needed to do and wasn’t thinking further ahead than that." The swift response of the Oak Island Water Rescue was crucial in ensuring Finkelstein's survival, demonstrating the effectiveness of emergency preparedness and training in crisis situations.
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