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Shop NowCoast Guard officials have confirmed that a small aircraft crashed along the coast in North Carolina, and crews have been sent to rescue the eight individuals believed to be onboard the aircraft at the time of the crash.
According to the Coast Guard, the crash occurred in the afternoon on February 13th, about four miles east of Drum Inlet, which is just east of Atlantic Beach, a town in Carteret County, North Carolina.
Officials have revealed that the plane that went down was a Pilatus PC-12 single-engine passenger plane.
On February 14th, just after 11 a.m., officials located the debris field where they believe the aircraft had crashed, and have now focused their search for survivors on that area.
No further information on the eight people aboard the plane has been released, including their identities, although an unconfirmed report from local news outlet WNCT claims that four of the passengers were students at East Carteret High School.
The Carteret County Public Schools system released a statement to WNCT that stated in part: “We are incredibly saddened as we join with the Down East and Eastern North Carolina communities as we await official word on the airplane crash off the coast of Drum Inlet.”
School officials also noted that a crisis team would be available on campus to support students and families at this time.
In a press release sent out on February 13th, Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector North Carolina command center said that they had received a report of a possible downed aircraft from an air traffic controller at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.
According to the report, the plane had been seen behaving erratically on the radar before it disappeared from the screen.
Following that report, a Coast Guard Station Fort Macon Motor Lifeboat crew was launched alongside a Coast Guard Station Hatteras Inlet Response Boat-Small boat crew to search for the missing aircraft.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from Air Station Elizabeth City was also sent to search the area, Coast Guard officials reported on February 13th.
Other crews assisting with response and rescue efforts include the Coast Guard Cutter Rollin Fritch, local fire departments, and national park service beach crews.
