A surveillance plane of the US Navy overshot the runway while approaching a Marine Corps Base in Hawaii and crashed into water, the BBC reported. The incident took place on Monday afternoon off the island of Oahu, part of the Hawaiian island chain and home to capital Honolulu. There were nine passengers aboard the Boeing Poseidon 8-A plane and there were no injuries, the outlet further said. Photos that are circulating on social media show the reconnaissance plane in the shallow waters of Kaneohe Bay.
Cloud, rain and poor visibility led to the crash, the BBC quoted weather department officials as saying.
National Weather Service data indicates that visibility in that area at the time of crash was about 1.6 kilometres with wind peaking at 34 kmph.
A spokesman for the Navy's Third Fleet told NBC News those aboard the plane evacuated after it went into the water.
Marine Major Jordan Fox said that booms have been placed around the plane to prevent any hazardous materials from spreading, adding that an investigation has been launched.
The plane that crashed is typically stationed at Whidbey Island in Washington State but was deployed to Hawaii "in support of maritime homeland defence."
Locals, meanwhile, raised concern about oil spills. They also claimed that the plane crashed on a reef that supports Hawaiian marine life.
"I think someone needs to take a look at the impact the plane is doing to our marine life," local resident Jonee Kaina told Hawaii News Now. "There is jet fuel, anti-freeze and other toxins," she added.
The Poseidon 8-A costs $275 million and can carry torpedoes and cruise missiles. It is often used in intelligence gathering, naval operations and anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare.