35 Miles from Shore

"Tells a compelling and interesting story that exemplifies some of the complex decision-making pilots are faced with regularly." —Gregory Feith, former National Transportation Safety Board investigator and host of the History Channel's Secrets of the Black Box


On May 2, 1970, a DC-9 jet with 57 passengers and a crew of six departed from New York’s JFK International Airport en route to the tropical island of St. Maarten, but four hours and 34 minutes later the flight ended in the shark-infested waters of the Caribbean. It was, and remains, the only open-water ditching of a commercial jet. The subsequent rescue of survivors took nearly three hours and involved the coast guard, navy, and marines. This gripping account of that fateful day recounts what was happening inside the cabin, the cockpit, and the helicopters as the crews struggled against the weather and dwindling daylight to rescue the survivors, who had only their life vests and a lone escape chute to keep them afloat.


"This well-researched, fast-paced study vividly re-creates the chain of errors that resulted in the catastrophe, the harrowing rescue missions, and the mixed effects of the tragedy on the subsequent lives of the crew, survivors, and rescuers."  —Library Journal


"A wonderful book. It's like reading a fine novel except it's all true. For aviation people it is also a valuable safety lesson."  —Bob Buck, author, North Star Over My Shoulder