Rescue Workers Feel Impact of Chalks Tragedy
Story by PA3 James Judge, D7 Public Affairs
MIAMI -- "Coast Guard! An airplane just went down by the South Beach fishing pier in the channel, we're underway en route, send boats out," said a frantic voice over VHF channel 16.
Another person yells over 16, "An airplane just crashed!"
"You better send some assistance right away!" said another man.
Suddenly a comforting, confident voice darted back across channel 16, "This is United States Coast Guard Sector Miami the Coast Guard has received a report of an aircraft down in the south entrance of the Port of Miami near the jetty. All vessels are requested to keep a sharp lookout and assist if possible."
The voice was that of Seaman Apprentice Ashley Baldree, a communications watch-stander, standing her first, qualified communications watch at Coast Guard Station Miami Beach, Fla.
Shortly after 2:15 p.m., a little more than two hours into Baldree's watch on Dec. 19, 2005, Chalks Ocean Airlines flight 101, a Grumman G-73T Turbine Mallard sea plane, crashed into Government Cut, the entrance to the Port of Miami.
"It was stressful and hard to know if I was doing all of the right things to help the people involved in the crash," said Baldree.
Petty Officer 2nd Class (BM2) Michael J. Sanborn works with Baldree and was the operator of the 41-foot rescue boat from Station Miami Beach that responded to the crash site.
"It was just a regular day. We were sitting in a meeting and we heard the SAR (search and rescue) alarm go off," said Sanborn.
"At first, someone said it was just an ultra light," said Sanborn. This is a common false alarm at Station Miami Beach. Ultra light aircrafts are commonly reported to have crashed, because of their constant take-offs and landings on the water here.
Not even a minute after the first report someone at Station Miami Beach stated we would need to get another boat underway, said Sanborn. Within minutes a massive search and rescue effort had been launched. Lifeguards from Miami Beach were among the first on scene.
"This is going to be tough, everybody get prepared, get ready," Sanborn told his crew as the rescue boat left the dock.
Sanborn's words proved to be true. It was the first time many of his young crew had seen lifeless bodies.
With passion and hope, people from all over the law enforcement and rescue communities came together in an effort to help and to recover any survivors. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission launched eight boats, Miami Beach Fire Department responded with 26 units and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue sent 10 units. Miami-Dade Police Dept. had two of their marine patrol-boats on scene, along with homicide detectives and crime scene investigators.
For a majority of the evening, M.D.P.D. had their entire day shift as well as their entire night shift working. The American Red Cross also sent workers to assist. The Coast Guard responded with every boat available from Station Miami Beach, the CGC Sitkinak, and an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Miami.
Hope of finding survivors quickly faded and rescue workers soon realized there would be no survivors of the crash.
Seventeen adults, two children and an infant perished in the accident.
"We always want the best outcome and it's unfortunate the way things go. My heart goes out to all of the families and the way they must feel from their devastating loss," said Baldree.
For Chalk's, family is exactly who their passengers are. Many of the people who fly the unique airline have flown this journey tens if not hundreds of times, said Chalk's Ocean Airlines General Manager Rajan Nair. "We are completely rebuilding these planes. My kids fly these planes. I fly these planes. Everybody thinks we lost passengers. We lost 20 family members that day."
Responders of the crash now often reflect on the events of that fateful day when passing the crash site.
"Nowadays, when we drive by the area of the crash, I usually tell people who are new to the station that that's where the big plane crash happened, said Sanborn. When I talk to the crewmembers that were with me during the event, we usually go more into detail about some of the things that we have been thinking since the crash."
"About a week after the crash, during the memorial service for the crash victims, my crew and I, most of whom had worked the crash took the family members to the crash site," said Sanborn. "As we greeted them they smiled and held our hands. We talked about their lost loved ones and even cried with them. That day confirmed to me that we had done our best."
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