Featured Image Credit: KETV NewsWatch 7/YouTube
Topics: Weather
Rebekah Jordan
Three people have confirmed to have died when their plane crashed into a river, according to police officials.
The crash happened around 8:15 pm on Friday (18 April) just south of the city of Fremont, Nebraska according to the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office.
“A small plane was traveling along the Platte River south of Fremont when it crashed into the river," the police said in a statement on Facebook.
"The three occupants of the plane have been recovered and are confirmed deceased.”
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The report came from an individual who allegedly saw 'a plane go down' on the river', Sergeant Brie Frank of the Dodge County Sheriff's Office said in a news conference.
In response, teams from the Fremont Police Department, Fremont Fire Department and other local agencies arrived quickly on the scene Sgt. Frank continued.
The small private plane was spotted resting on the surface of the river as rescue teams rushed in to search through the wreckage and debris.
Sadly, the crews could not save anyone onboard. The identities of the victims have not yet been released and are 'pending next of kin notification', police added (via ABC News).
Sgt. Frank confirmed that airboats and drones were being used in the search and arrived on the scene just before midnight.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are overseeing the whole investigation, with police urging people to stay out of the area until further notice as the investigation proceeds.
While the cause of the crash is yet to be officially determined, there have been reports of severe hailstorms in Fremont in the past 24 hours.
Fox Weather reported heavy thunderstorms in the city on Thursday night (17 April) that were so intense that it caused 'significant damage' to cars and windows in the town (via People Magazine).
One video shared online shows a hotel in Fremont with shattered windows and a nearby car's roof dented and windshield destroyed.
This comes after several plane crashes have occurred in the US and Canada.
Earlier this year, a mid-air collision between an American Airlines Flight 5342 and a Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, D.C.
The crash occurred when the aircraft attempted to land at Ronald Reagan Airport, leading to all 64 passengers on the commercial jet and three helicopter passengers being killed.
Meanwhile, a Delta Airlines flight in Toronto crashed in February when attempting a crash landing into Pearson International Airport from Minneapolis, Minnesota, leading to the plane being flipped upside down.
Luckily, everyone was evacuated safely, however, some were taken to hospital to receive treatment for injuries that weren't reported to be life-threatening.
Following this, an expert revealed their thoughts as to why there appears to an 'increase' in plane crashes.