Coast Guard

2 Killed in Small Plane Crash Near Port Everglades: Official

Coast Guard rescue crews confirmed that two people were killed after a Cessna 172 aircraft crashed near Port Everglades Saturday morning.

Coast Guard officials received a call from the Broward County Sheriff's Office at around 10 a.m. Saturday, reporting a down Cessna airplane roughly four miles south of Port Everglades.

A Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue aircraft located the plane wreckage and two people just south of Port Everglades. The two people were transferred to Station Fort Lauderdale and pronounced deceased, Coast Guard says.

"There were two victims that were in the water north of the debris field, north of the oil slick both victims were dead," said Mike Jachles, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue.

Officials say the small cessna plane may have been coming from Pompano Beach Airport and possibly on it's way to Fort Lauderdale Airport nearby, but it didn't make it to the runway.

Multiple agencies including the US Coast Guard Southeast, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue and Florida Fish and Wildlife responded. While no one seemed to see the plane crash, some beachgoers described some rough weather this morning.

"The thunder and the lightning it was pretty intense," said James Carter. "The storm just came in heavily from the southwest; coming in it was so heavy the rain fall was, there was zero visibility."

Authorities are currently investigating, but haven't said what exactly caused the crash. The small plane had a capacity to hold four people, so rescue teams are hoping no other passengers were onboard.

"Our hearts go out to the families of these victims," said  Coast Guard Lieutenant Ryan Kelly. "And we just want to reiterate again that the search continues. No current estimated end to that search."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us