Two people killed as plane crashes into suburban neighbourhood
A US Navy training plane that took off from Florida crashed on Friday (local time) in a residential neighbourhood in Alabama, killing both people in the plane.
Zach Harrell, a spokesperson for Commander, Naval Air Forces, said both people in the T-6B Texan II training plane died.
Authorities were not immediately releasing the names of the deceased as they wanted to ensure their families had been notified.
No injuries were reported on the ground. Fortunately, the plane narrowly missed the surrounding houses.
Photos of the crash site show a smouldering crater in a front yard, with a nearby home and vehicles also catching fire.
Foley Fire Chief Joey Darby said responders encountered a “large volume of fire” with a home and several cars engulfed in flames.
Firefighters were able to make “a quick stop on the fire”, the chief told local news outlets.
The crash occurred southeast of Mobile, near the city of Foley and the town of Magnolia Springs. Mr Darby called the neighbourhood a “heavily populated” residential area. No firefighters were injured, he added.
The plane had flown out of Naval Air Station Whiting Field, about 48.28 kilometres northeast of Pensacola, Florida, Navy spokeswoman Julie Ziegenhorn said.
The US Department of Defense and the Navy were set to handle the investigation, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office tweeted.
The Naval Air Training Command expressed sorrow at the fatal accident.
“It is with a heavy heart that we mourn two of our pilots who lost their lives during an aircraft crash in Alabama today,” it tweeted Saturday.
“Our deepest sympathy goes to their family and friends at this difficult time. Rest in peace, Shipmates. We have the watch.”
with AP
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
