Two small planes crashed mid-air over a lake in central Florida Tuesday afternoon, killing at least one person, according to police. Chief of Staff of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Steve Lester said during a news conference that rescuers were still searching Lake Hartridge in Winter Haven Tuesday night for possible survivors. Rescuers attempted CPR on one victim, who was later pronounced dead. About 65 kilometers southwest of Orlando, you’ll find Winter Haven.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified one aircraft as a Piper J-3 floatplane, but the make of the other aircraft was not immediately known.
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Deputies said they did not immediately know how many people were on the planes, where they had taken off or what caused the crash. The lake where the plane crashed is located just southeast of Winter Haven Regional Airport.
Lester said that witnesses recalled that the planes collided with each other and then immediately plunged into the water. Officials said the wing of one plane was sticking out of the water, while the other plane was about seven meters below the surface. Lester said the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board would investigate the accident.
with PTI inputs