Pilot dead after plane crashes into river in 'very remote location': officials
A pilot was killed on Monday afternoon after his plane crashed in a Massachusetts river, officials say.
The crash took place in the Merrimack River between Lawrence and North Andover. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Fox News Digital that the plane hit the water at around 2:15 p.m. on Monday.
The North Andover Fire Department confirmed the crash to Fox News Digital. The department reported that its officers were working on the Merrimack River as part of a rescue mission before the pilot was pronounced dead.
The aircraft was a single-engine Van’s Aircraft RV-6A. No passengers were on board, the FAA reported.
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"The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate," an FAA official told Fox News Digital. "The NTSB will lead the investigation and provide any updates."
In a press conference on Monday evening, North Andover Fire Department Deputy Chief Graham Rowe reported that the body of the pilot is still in the plane. He also added that the aircraft is in a "very remote location, and access was pretty difficult."
"The embankments were pretty steep….the plane was on the opposite side. It was upside down when we arrived," Rowe explained, adding that the plane has not moved since the crash.
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Aerial pictures show first responders in boats near the upside-down plane, which was seen jutting out of the river.
The plane crash is being actively investigated by both federal and local authorities.
Fox News Digital reached out to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for additional details, but officials declined to comment. No additional details are known at this time.