For Nick Pavlakis, what was supposed to be a weekend trip to the Bahamas with clientsturned into an unexpected rescue adventure.
Pavlakis, the general manager of Marine Max Jupiter, and a group of boaters on a weekend getaway organized by the boat dealership were preparing for a day on the water near the Bimini islands the morning of Aug. 1 when a seaplane crashed while attempting to take off from a nearby resort.
“I saw a seaplane floating, so I grabbed the four closest guys I had with me, came out of the slip super-fast and got over there in about 30 seconds.” Pavlakis recalled. “I thought the plane was just moving. I thought the plane was just not under command, but then when I pulled alongside of it, I heard the water bubbling and I thought ‘Man,
this plane is going down quick.”
The group's quick actions helped rescue two pilots and eight passengers before the aircraft capsized and sank in waters near the resort.
According to published reports, a single-engine Cessna seaplane carrying eight American tourists was trying to take off at about 10 a.m. when heavy boat traffic forced the pilot to seek a different departure route.
As the pilot turned, the Cessna veered to the left and failed to respond to corrective actions. It struck a dock, stalled and eventually sank in about 100 feet of water.
Pavlakis said he realized something was wrong as he was returning from getting fuel.
Within moments of the incident, he and others found themselves racing to get to the Cessna’s passengers and crew. They were able to help the plane’s occupants evacuate safely, and with no reported injuries. They also managed to get all the luggage off the aircraft, with the pilot and co-pilot evacuating seconds before it rolled and capsized.
“Everything was saved except for the plane itself,” said Pavlakis, who navigated a Boston Whaler 420 Outrage sportfishing boat to safer waters following the rescue.
Pavlakis, who began his career with Marine Max working as a boat captain, said there was little time to think about the situation as it was unfolding.
“Instincts kick in,” he said. “I didn’t really think about it. I just did it. Right place, right time, right people. I want to be very clear. I do not believe in coincidences. I do believe in God, and I do believe that this was all in God’s hands."
Julius Whigham II covers northern Palm Beach County and public safety for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Jupiter boat operator recalls rescue effort in Bahamas seaplane crash
