3 people killed in small plane crash near Claxton, Georgia

A small plane carrying three people has crashed in a wooded area near an airport in Georgia state, west of Savannah, local and federal officials say. There were no survivors.

The aircraft, a single-engine Piper PA-30, was reported missing at around 12:30 a.m. on Monday. The wreckage was found in a wooded area, east of Claxton-Evans County Airport, after roughly 5 hours of searching.

The airport is north of Claxton, about 44 miles west of Savannah.

“The plane was found occupied by 3 adult males, all of which did not survive the incident,” the Evans County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. The identities of the victims were not released pending notification of next of kin.

“Please pray for the families involved in this tragic incident, as our hearts go out to them during this time,” the sheriff’s office said.

The cause of Monday’s crash was not immediately known. Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating.

Here at the scene of a plane crash that officials say killed 3 people early this morning in Claxton. Waiting on FAA to arrive to provide more information. Live report this evening. @WSAV pic.twitter.com/EMcl95o0bs

— Kaley Fedko WSAV (@kaleyfedkotv) June 26, 2023