Two people were killed Monday morning after a small plane carrying hurricane relief supplies to Jamaica crashed into a lake in a Coral Springs neighborhood, officials said.
The crash happened just before 10:20 a.m. in the Windsor Bay community near the 5000 block of Northwest 57th Way, west of State Road 7 and south of the Sawgrass Expressway.
Coral Springs Fire Rescue said a dive team initially searched the lake but found no victims or major pieces of wreckage. “We have not found an entire plane yet; we believe that it may be broken into smaller pieces,” Deputy Fire Chief Mike Moser said during a briefing. “This is very preliminary.”
Coral Springs Police later confirmed that two people aboard the aircraft were killed. Their identities have not yet been released. No one on the ground was injured.
Video from CBS Miami’s Chopper 4 showed debris scattered in backyards and damage to a fence and trees before the plane plunged into a man-made pond.
According to officials at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, the Beechcraft King Air twin-turboprop had taken off around 10:14 a.m., bound for Jamaica with hurricane relief supplies following Hurricane Melissa.
Several roads, including Creekside Drive from Northwest 66th Terrace to Northwest 53rd Drive, were closed as crews worked to clear the scene. Police urged residents to avoid the area and to report any debris found to 954-344-1800.
Authorities also warned that the smell of aviation fuel may linger for some time.
A large police and emergency presence will remain in the area as the Coral Springs Police Department coordinates with the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the Broward Sheriff’s Office to investigate the cause of the crash.
“We appreciate the patience and understanding of the community throughout this investigation,” police said in a statement.
