Bud was not alone that night,and I don't think we ever got the name of the other boat operator?
I remember distinctly waking up on my hands and knees in about 6 inches of water totally focused on the smell of fuel," survivor Joe Popson said. "The first thing I heard was a lot of voices, people screaming for help, moaning. I too joined that chorus of screaming for help."
One two month old baby was thrown from her parents' arms during impact, and floated helplessly in the water as her mother frantically searched for her.
"After walking and walking, she found me, I was cradled by cables and debris," young survivor Christina Casado said.
The first rescue helicopters couldn't pinpoint the crash site because it was pitch black that winter night. But out of the heart of darkness came a beacon of light. A pair of air boaters, hunting for frogs, saw the fireball from flight 401 and sped over to help.
"The sound of that air boat was a sign of hope," said stewardess Beverly Raposa. "Bullfrog Bud Marquis arrived in his airboat about 15 minutes after the crash."
"I shut the engine off, I could hear the screaming and yelling," Marquis said.