According to CBS Greenville affiliate WNCT, at least one body was found off the coast North Carolina. The plane that carried eight people crashed on Sunday. Officials said Monday.
Asa Buck, Carteret County Sheriff, stated that there was no indication that anyone survived the crash. WNCT reported.
The investigation into the causes of the crash is being led by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The Coast Guard reported Monday that watchstanders were notified by a Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point airtraffic controller Sunday of a possible downed plane about 4 miles east from Drum Inlet. Coast Guard released a statement saying that the air traffic controller reported that the aircraft had been “behaving erratically” on radar, and then vanished from the radar screen.
According to an email sent by the Federal Aviation Administration Monday, the single-engine Pilatus PC-12/47 went into the water around 18 miles northeast from Michael J. Smith Field, Beaufort, N.C. Sunday. The preliminary accident notification posted on the FAA website stated that the aircraft had “crashed into the water under unknown circumstances.”
FlightAware reported that the plane was leaving Hyde County Airport at 13:35 Sunday afternoon. It also noted that it was last seen near Beaufort at 02:01 Sunday afternoon. Eight people were on board, according to the Coast Guard.
Petty Officer Edward Wargo, Coast Guard spokesperson, said that searchers found a debris field within the area. According to the agency, the search involved boat crews from Coast Guard Station Fort Macon, Coast Guard Station Hatteras Inlet and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Elizabeth City. Also, personnel from local fire departments and sheriff’s departments and National Park Service beach crews were involved.
