Plane removal from Snake River underway following Sunday crash; Pilot is safe after incident
Maile Sipraseuth
UPDATE: NOV 10 — 10:00 AM
BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — As of Monday morning, the Blackfoot Police, along with a local wrecker service, began the retrieval of the single-engine plane that crashed into the Snake River last night, November 9th. The Blackfoot Police, alongside a local wrecker service, began removing the plane around 10:00 AM after it was secured in the water overnight.
“We’d like to thank Search and Rescue for stepping up our Marine Deputies us on the water to assist with the recovery,” said Blackfoot PD. “Day or night, rain or shine, that team is always willing to help and we sure love them for it.”
During the removal, authorities are currently attempting to manage the flow of traffic over the Porterville Bridge by allowing alternating one-lane travel across. However, Blackfoot PD issued a warning that for safety and logistical reasons, a temporary, complete shutdown of both lanes may be necessary to safely remove the aircraft. If this full closure is required, southbound traffic will be rerouted to 200 N, and northbound drivers will need to turn around.
“We’ll do everything we can to avoid having to do that or making it the shortest interruption possible if that ends up happening,” assured Blackfoot PD in a press release.
Crash Details
The pilot, the only person aboard the aircraft, is recovering today after the plane went down sometime before 6:05 PM Sunday. Police say the pilot only suffered non-life-threatening injuries and managed to reach a nearby home immediately following the crash to call for help.
“We are grateful this wasn’t a fatality and thank the great citizens that took the pilot in and got help on the way,” stated the Blackfoot PD in a press release.
Emergency responders, including Blackfoot Police, Bingham Patrol, Marine units, and Fire/EMS, quickly arrived. The Porterville Bridge was temporarily closed for about 45 minutes to allow police to safely survey the scene. Police confirm there was no damage to the bridge structure, and lanes are currently open.
The pilot’s name and further details on the crash have not been released at this time pending the FAA’s complete findings.
In the wake of the crash, authorities are urging the public to limit unnecessary 911 calls with reports of the plane in the water.
ORIGINAL:
BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — Police and emergency responders rushed to the scene of a crash, which appears to be a single-engine plane into the Snake River near the Porterville Road bridge in Blackfoot.
Witnesses at the scene reported seeing the plane partially submerged in the water below the bridge, and first responders dispatched boats into the water. Police are no longer on the scene while the plane remains in the water awaiting retrieval.
Authorities have not yet released any information regarding the aircraft’s registration, flight number, or the condition of the pilot at this time. Local News 8 has reached out to the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office and police dispatch and is awaiting a response.
This is a developing story. Local News 8 will provide additional details as they become available.