Pilot Mark Finkelstein survived a perilous emergency water landing near Oak Island Pier on August 2, 2025, before being rescued in a tense operation captured on video.

At 7:33 PM, Finkelstein’s single-engine aircraft lost power. Unable to return to Cape Fear Regional Jetport and confronted with a crowded beach, he aimed for the ocean. The plane struck the water and quickly began to sink, leaving him trapped in a shrinking air pocket at the back of the cabin.

Rescue crews from the Oak Island Beach Safety Unit, Southport Fire Department, and Oak Island Water Rescue rushed to the site within minutes. Working swiftly, they pulled Finkelstein feet-first under the water and out through the windshield, completing the escape in less than 30 seconds.

Footage from the Oak Island Drone Unit shows the entire sequence, from the water landing to the split-second extraction that saved his life.

Finkelstein later expressed his thanks, writing: “My deepest gratitude to all those who participated in rescuing and caring for me after my water landing … You were literally life savers!”

On August 11, he returned to honor rescuers Chris Dunham, Chad Butchello, and Austin Lancaster, presenting them with a Special Proclamation and naming them Honorary Admirals of his “Air FInky” Maritime Division.

The FAA is investigating the engine failure. Oak Island officials also praised the coordinated response of local police, fire and water rescue teams, the U.S. Coast Guard, and Brunswick County EMS.