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An 11-year-old girl was the sole survivor of a plane crash on an island in Lake Michigan over the weekend. The twin-engine Britton-Norman BN2P plane crashed as it was trying to land on Beaver Island around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday (November 13).
A Coast Guard helicopter crew was training in the area and quickly responded to the crash. They performed chest compressions on the girl, Laney Perdue, and airlifted her to the hospital along with another male passenger who survived. Laney remains hospitalized in stable condition, while the male passenger was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The other victims in the plane crash were identified as Kate Leese, Adam Kendall, Laney's father, Mike Perdue, and the pilot whose name has not been released. Two dogs also died in the crash.
"We are heartbroken with the loss of my husband, a father, brother, son, and friend. He gave the best bear hugs, and I believe he grabbed our daughter and protected her," Laney's mother, Christina Perdue, said in a statement. "Our prayers are also with our island community and the other souls lost in the accident."
Christina said that Laney's last memory of her father was him protecting her as the plane crashed.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.