COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – Two people were killed in a plane crash over Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho on Sunday, and as many as six others could be missing, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.
Two planes collided with each other and then crashed into Lake Coeur d’Alene around 2:20 p.m. local time (4:20 p.m. ET), according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.
Both planes have been located and are in 127 feet of water, he added.
Lt. Ryan Higgins with the sheriff’s office confirmed that two bodies had been recovered from the planes. The victims have not been identified.
He said initial reports suggest there were a total of eight passengers and crew on the two planes, but that is still being verified.
Investigators do not believe there are survivors in the crash and have not established the cause of the collision.
John Cowles told Spokane Spokesman-Review that he was on the lake with his family at the time of the accident. Cowles said he saw what appeared to be an “engine explosion” on a seaplane flying no more than 200 feet above the ground. Then one of the plane’s wings parted and the plane fell into the water, he said.
Another witness, Patrick Pearce, told the newspaper that he saw two single-engine planes approaching each other, 800 to 900 feet above the water. Pearce, a pilot, said he recognized from engine sounds that both planes were traveling at fairly high speeds.
The planes collided before crashing into the lake, Pearce said.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which will investigate the incident in conjunction with the National Transportation Safety Board, said one of the planes involved was a Cessna 206. They do not yet know the make and model of the other plane.
