At least two people have died following a collision between two planes at Marana Regional Airport, Arizona.
The Marana Police Department confirmed the crash, which occurred outside Tucson, and stated that both aircraft were occupied at the time of impact, Mirror reports.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing massive plumes of smoke billowing from the crash site this morning as emergency services rushed to the scene.
Initial reports indicated one fatality, but authorities later confirmed a second person had died. The identities of the victims have not yet been released.
In its first statement, the Marana Police Department said: “The Marana Police Department is currently on-scene at the Marana Regional Airport located at 11700 W. Avra Valley Rd. in reference to an aircraft collision.
“There has been at least one confirmed deceased individual. Details are limited at this time. Media staging will be in the large dirt parking lot outside of the Marana Regional Airport. FAA and NTSB will be responding.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause of the collision. The FAA will examine safety and regulatory issues, while the NTSB will focus on the circumstances leading to the crash.
This incident adds to a series of recent aviation disasters in the United States.
On Monday, a Delta Airlines flight in Toronto flipped upside down, leaving passengers hanging with fuel leaking through the windows. Nineteen of the 21 injured passengers have since been discharged from the hospital.
Last month, 67 people died when American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with a military helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, DC.
The crash, which occurred on January 29, brought operations at Ronald Reagan National Airport to a halt.
In Arizona last Monday, a plane carrying Mötley Crüe’s Vince Neil crashed at Scottsdale Airport. The collision resulted in the death of 78-year-old pilot Joie Vitosky and severe injuries to passengers, including Vince’s girlfriend Rain Andreani.
Another fatal crash took place in Georgia on Saturday night, where a small aircraft plunged into woodland minutes after takeoff from Covington Municipal Airport.
The wreckage was found shortly after impact, and both occupants were confirmed dead.
Investigations into these incidents remain ongoing, with the FAA and NTSB leading inquiries into their causes.
