JACKSONVILLE, FL — A chartered Boeing 737 aircraft with 143 people aboard came to rest Friday night in shallow waters of the St. Johns River after a “terrifying” landing that sheared off the aircraft’s nose, bounced and jolted passengers before the plane skidded off the runway at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. The charter was attempting to land after traveling from Cuba to north Florida.

“There were 136 passengers and seven aircrew on board and all have been accounted for,” said officials at the Naval Air Station, which is about 11 miles from the city of Jacksonville. “Minor injuries have been reported, treated at the scene, and those requiring additional treatment were transported to a local hospital. There were no fatalities.”

Only a 3-month-old baby was hospitalized, and that was done out of an abundance of caution, officials said.

Dr. Michael Dreikorn, a former assistant division manager of production and airworthiness with the Federal Aviation Administration, told Patch that a runway modification appeared to be in effect at the time of the incident that essentially shortened the usable portion of the runway from 9,000 to 8,000 feet. The aircraft came to rest about 1,000 feet from the easternmost end of Runway 10.

“Yet it’s too early to call, it is apparent that weather may be a contributing factor and potentially restrictions on the runway may be contributing factors to the incident,” said Dreikorn, who is now principal partner of ASD Experts, an aviation safety firm. “As this is a charter airline, it would be valid to look at pilot proficiency and training in such conditions.”

National Transportation Safety Board vice chairman Bruce Landsberg said Saturday that investigators will examine the aircraft, the environment and human factors in trying to discover why the plane rolled into the St. Johns River. Landsberg said the plane hit a seawall made of stones before coming to rest in the river.

The pavement on the runway wasn’t grooved and Landsberg says investigators will look at how that played a role with reported heavy rain during the landing. He said grooves can help the water flow off the pavement more quickly.

Navy security and emergency response personnel were on the scene Friday night and representatives of the Airline Professionals Association, Teamsters Local 1224 arrived Saturday. They represent the pilots of Miami Air International.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said the plane was not submerged and its marine patrol was also on the scene. “Every person is alive and accounted for,” the agency confirmed.

A spokesman for Jacksonville Fire-Rescue told reporters that a total of 21 people were taken to area hospitals by first responders.

“When we arrived here at the scene we found a need for triage,” the spokesman said. “In the aftermath of the triage of the individuals who were injured and evaluated here at the scene, we transported 21 here from this location to area hospitals.”

The plane is operated by Miami Air International, which is based in Miami Springs, Florida not far from Miami International Airport.

“Miami Air International is providing support to the passengers, crew and their families that were affected by this accident,” airline officials said on the company website. “We would like to thank all the responding agencies for their support especially, the men and women of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue.”

Company officials said the aircraft was manufactured in 2001 and had recently undergone a scheduled maintenance that was completed on May 1.

Cheryl Bormann, a defense attorney from Chicago who was aboard the flight, told CNN that she and her fellow passengers remained calm.

“It was terrifying but everybody was pretty calm,” she said, adding there were children and elderly passengers on the flight.

Bormann said the failed landing felt like the plane was bouncing on the runway. “As we went down we had a really hard landing and then the plane bounced and screeched and bounced some more,” she said. “It lifted to the right and then it lifted to the left, and then it sort of swerved, and then it came to a complete, like a crash stop. My head flew forward and I hit my head on the plastic tray.”

The attorney has been defending Walid bin Attash, who is charged with helping to train some of the 9/11 hijackers. The U.S. holds 40 men at the detention center at Guantanamo Bay.

She said that some pets were also on the plane but they most likely did not make it out as passengers donned life vests and someone inflated a life raft that had been on the plane.

“One of the saddest things actually is there were pets in the luggage compartment,” she said. “I know those pets weren’t rescued.”

Two pet cats and a dog were still on the plane and their status wasn’t immediately clear. Rescuers looked in the cargo area after the plane ended up in the river but saw no crates and heard no animal noises. When they returned later, they didn’t see any pet carriers above water, according to air station officials.

It also wasn’t immediately clear how long it would take to remove the plane from the river.

“We have challenges because bottom half of fuselage is covered with water,” Landsberg said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.