Three Found Unresponsive After Small Plane Crashes Off California Coast

A late-night flight turned tragic off the California coast over the weekend when a small private plane crashed into the ocean near Monterey, leaving all three people onboard unresponsive, according to the Coast Guard.

The twin-engine Beechcraft Baron took off from San Carlos around 10:11 p.m. Saturday night. Less than half an hour later, it vanished from radar just off Point Pinos, about 300 yards from the shoreline. Not long after, folks nearby reported hearing an engine rev loudly, then a splash.

Search crews jumped into action fast. The Coast Guard sent out boats and a helicopter, and local fire and police joined the hunt. Around 3 a.m. Sunday, one person was found in the water. Divers later discovered the other two still inside the wreckage between 6:30 and 9:15 a.m.

All three were described as “unresponsive,” which, in Coast Guard terms, means no signs of life. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and coroner will make the official call.

Bits of the wreckage started washing up on shore not long after the crash, witnesses said. Now, the FAA and NTSB are stepping in to figure out what went wrong.

No word yet on the identities of the passengers or what may have caused the crash. Updates from officials are expected soon.

With input from The AP News