VINALHAVEN — At approximately 5 p.m., Friday, October 22, 2021, a Cessna 207 airplane transporting a medical patient and a Vinalhaven EMT from Vinalhaven to the Knox Regional Airport in Owls Head, crashed when attempting to take off.

Vinalhaven Fire/EMS personnel and a Knox County Sheriff’s deputy happened to still be at the air strip after assisting with the transfer of the patient from the ambulance to the aircraft. They were able to then get to the downed plane, and along with the help of bystanders, quickly assist the two passengers and pilot to safety, according to Vinalhaven EMA, in a news release.

Additional Fire/EMS personnel were requested and arrived shortly thereafter. The fire personnel were able to secure the scene and minimize any leaks from the plane’s fuel tank.

EMS personnel assessed the pilot and the Vinalhaven EMT involved in the crash, who were then released with minor injuries. Penobscot Island Air transported an additional medic from South Thomaston Ambulance to assist at the scene.

By 7 p.m., Penobscot Air was able to transport the original patient and the medic to Knox County Regional Airport, where they were then transported the rest of the way to a hospital.

An investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing and no other details about the crash are available currently.

Vinalhaven Fire Chief, Marc Candage, on scene from the original EMS call, was able to react immediately.

“We are grateful that the patient, our crew member, and the pilot are okay following this accident,” Candage said. “At the end of the day, responding crew and bystanders acted quickly, we treated those involved, and we were able to see our patient get transported to definitive care.”