After pilot crashes plane off Rancho Palos Verdes, he and his dog swim to shore

A pilot and his dog paddled safely to shore Sunday afternoon after he crashed his small plane off Rancho Palos Verdes, according to law enforcement.

Sgt. Jeffrey Velasco with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said a call came in around 5:20 p.m. of a plane crashing into the ocean not far from Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles.

The department posted on X that it sent an air rescue team for the small plane. Responding deputies said the pilot was unharmed. Los Angeles County Fire Supervisor Bernard Peters told the Los Angeles Daily News that the plane was a single-engine Piper Cherokee Six.

The plane sank, the outlet noted. The circumstances surrounding the incident were unclear Sunday evening, including where the aircraft took off from or whether it was attempting an emergency landing.

Edward Wargo, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson, said there was one person on board along with their dog.

“Both were able to safely swim,” he said.

Wargo said the Coast Guard will now focus on ensuring there’s no environmental damage from the plane’s fuel. .