On Monday morning, a single-engine plane crashed into Beards Creek in Edgewater, Maryland. The pilot, 71-year-old Steve Couchman, was in dire need of help. However, instead of the traditional first responders we may expect to arrive at the scene of an emergency such as this, it was two civilians and an on-duty police officer in three kayaks who responded and provided assistance to the downed pilot.
Couchman had been flying his plane from Lee Airport when he started experiencing engine trouble. Witnesses heard sputtering from the plane as it flew overhead and soon after crashed into the icy waters below. That’s when two civilians and an Anne Arundel County police officer leaped into action. The trio used three kayaks to skim across the 7-degree water to reach Couchman, who was still stuck inside his aircraft at this point. To make matters worse, portions of the creek were still partially frozen over due to frigid temperatures that had blanketed Maryland since Christmas day—making their rescue mission even more treacherous than usual. Despite these conditions, however, they managed to reach Couchman and pull him onto one of their kayaks before bringing him back safely to shore for medical attention.
Couchman’s injuries were not considered life-threatening but he did require medical care following his ordeal in the icy waters of Beards Creek—all thanks to the brave actions of those three citizens who put their own lives on hold so that he could be saved. Their heroic efforts made them instant local celebrities and earned them well-deserved praise from both the Maryland State Police and local news outlets alike for their incredible feat of bravery under pressure.
