35 Miles From Shore

Available in Print, eBook, & Audio

On May 2, 1970, a DC-9 jet with fifty-seven passengers and a crew of six departed New York’s JFK international airport en route to the tropical island of St. Maarten. The flight ended four hours and thirty minutes later in the shark-infested waters of the Caribbean. It was at the time, 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.

In this gripping account of that fateful day, author Emilio Corsetti puts the reader inside the cabin, the cockpit, and the rescue helicopters as the crews struggle against the weather and dwindling daylight to rescue the survivors who have only their life vests and a lone escape chute to keep them afloat.

What Readers Are Saying

Read more reviews on Goodreads.com
Rated 5 out of 5
"Frightening Flight. On May 2, 1970, ALM Flight 980 from New York to St. Maarten was forced to land in the rain-swollen Caribbean, where it floated for ten minutes before sinking in deep waters. How the fifty-seven passengers survived for an hour and a half in the shark-infested waters until the Coast Guard, Marines, and Navy arrived to the rescue, is harrowingly told here."
Karl Helicher
Foreward magazine
Rated 5 out of 5
"...Corsetti weaves a story of an airplane type pushed to the edge of its performance limits on a non-stop route between New York and St. Maarten; confusion in emergency protocols, a non-functioning PA system, and a possibly faulty fuel totalizer, all of which combined in a "perfect storm" in the days before safety management system (SMS) culture made risk analysis an industry touchstone."
Curt Epstein
Int'l Aviation News
Rated 5 out of 5
"An incredible story about a flight to a destination that is marginal for the type of plane, bad weather and a crew that was not as optimal as might be desired. What I picked up on is a certain obstinacy by the captain to maximize how much fuel would be available when reaching the destination. Add to that difficulties with getting accurate readings on how much fuel was available and conflicting weather reports."
Alex Taylor
Amazon Reviewer

Video Recreation

Here is an excellent video from the YouTube channel Disaster Breakdown by Chloe Howie about ALM Flight 980. It’s an hour long, but it’s very well done and features some of the best 3D rendering of the DC-9 I’ve seen.

Order Your Copy of 35 Miles From Shore

The book 35 Miles From Shore is available at all major bookstores. The book is also available on a wide range of eReading platforms including the Kindle, iPad, and the Nook. You can also purchase an autographed copy.

The eBook version has been enhanced for improved viewing and usability. You can quickly browse through the book. You can go to and from footnotes and endnotes with a press of a button. We think you’ll find the reading experience to be as good or better than the hard copy.