BEAVER ISLAND, Mich. — The United States Coast Guard says one person died when a small plane crashed into Lake Michigan Friday near Beaver Island.
USCG tells FOX 17 that a man and woman from Lowell were in the plane when it went down around 8 a.m. Friday.
It landed upside down in Lake Michigan between Whiskey Island and Beaver Island.
The Charlevoix County Sheriff's Office identified the man as 70-year-old Randy Seaman and the woman as 65-year-old Beverly Anderson.
A Coast Guard helicopter diverted from a training mission to respond and was able to get to Seaman and pull him out of the water.
Crews say he had some lacerations on his head but the injuries, overall, were minor.
USCG says a diver with the Charlevoix County Sheriff’s Office pulled Anderson out of the water. She was unresponsive and later pronounced dead.
It’s not clear yet what caused the plane to crash— the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting an investigation.
Charlevoix County Sheriff Chuck Vondra said the plane crashed in about four to six feet of water, shortly after takeoff from an airport on Beaver Island.
He says the man and woman were doing a sightseeing flight.
The Coast Guard says crews are keeping an eye on the aftermath of the crash and will step in to help remove debris if pollution becomes a concern or if it becomes a hazard for others in the area.
