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A Boeing 737 cargo plane was forced to make an emergency landing in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Hawaii. The pilots reported having engine troubles just a few minutes after take-off.
According to Business Insider, there was some confusion in the air traffic control tower as the pilots tried to radio that they were experiencing an emergency. The air traffic controllers were busy communicating with and servicing other aircraft at the time. There was also another flight with a similar callsign trying to land at the airport.
After a few minutes, the pilots got a hold of somebody and said they were going "run a checklist" and would remain about 15 miles from Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
By the time the pilots decided to return to the airport, they were too far out and needed help from the air traffic controllers to navigate back to the runway. After they were cleared to make an emergency landing at the airport, the pilots reported that they were losing altitude and would not be able to make it.
"Will you let the Coast Guard know, we can't maintain altitude," one pilot told air traffic control.
The pilots were then told to try landing at Kalaeloa Airport, which was just three miles away. The pilots were unable to make it to the airport and had to put the plane down in the water.
The Coast Guard was dispatched to the scene and rescued both pilots. One pilot was in good condition, while the other was taken to the hospital in serious condition with multiple lacerations, according to KFVE.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it will investigate the crash landing.
"The pilots had reported engine trouble and were attempting to return to Honolulu when they were forced to land the aircraft in the water," the FAA said. "According to preliminary information, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued both crew members. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate."