Gracie Fusco
•2/16/2026

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. (WINK) — A plane crash near the Ten Thousand Islands in Collier County prompted a swift response from emergency crews on Sunday. The crash involved two individuals on board, and authorities quickly moved to rescue them.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane is owned by Black Dog Holding Inc. out of New York. The Collier County Sheriff's Office was seen towing the aircraft out of the water on Monday.
Dan Grevas, a witness to the incident, described the scene as it unfolded.
"I saw a boat coming down, a sheriff's boat coming down the canal quite fast. They came around the corner here," said Grevas. "They brought one person up first, and then afterwards they did another person."
The Collier County Sheriff's Office reported receiving a call at 12:49 p.m. on Sunday after a plane was spotted in the water. Deputies deployed marine and aviation units to the scene.
Grevas quickly realized the seriousness of the situation.
"It doesn't take long, especially when you see the sheriff come down the canal, because this is all in a no-wake zone, so he was moving pretty good and trying to save a life, or, you know, just to get him to medical attention right away," said Grevas.
The aircraft carried two people—a pilot and a passenger.
"It's really a terrible situation," said Grevas.
The Collier County Sheriff's Office was observed towing the plane out of the marina on Monday afternoon, an unexpected sight for Grevas.
"I was just kind of surprised to see the boat coming down the canal today. I knew exactly what it was once I saw it," said Grevas.
The Federal Aviation Administration is leading the investigation into the crash. WINK News has reached out for more information but has not yet received a response.
WINK News will continue to provide updates on this developing story.