2 Dead After Plane Crashes in Lot of Georgia General Mills Plant: 'Horribly Tragic Situation'
Two people are dead after a plane they were aboard crashed into an "isolated" lot at a General Mills plant in Covington, Georgia, officials confirm.
Covington Police Department Captain Ken Malcom told reporters at the scene Thursday evening that the plane, which he said witnesses described as a twin-engine Cessna, left Covington Municipal Airport around 6:45 p.m., heading northeast.
Witnesses "believe the plane was having trouble gaining altitude" and "could hear that there was engine trouble," Malcom explained in video footage from the briefing, shared by Atlanta-area station CBS46.
"Suddenly, the plane veered to the right and immediately came straight down and crashed into the lot behind us," he continued.
According to the captain, "The plane went down in an isolated area here on the lot behind" where he and reporters stood on the property of a General Mills plant, which produces cereal.
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In an emailed statement to PEOPLE, Malcom said that "the aircraft immediately exploded" upon crashing into "four empty tractor-trailers" on the General Mills property. He added, "When public-safety officials arrived, the plane and the trailers were fully engulfed in flames."
"There appear to be no injuries from anyone here on the ground, but obviously this is a devastating crash and there are no survivors," Malcom said. "The crash occurred approximately 300 yards from the physical plant where employees were working. No one from the facility was injured."
According to the captain, "Fire, police and Newton County Coroner Tommy Davis later discovered two deceased passengers onboard the aircraft. The victims have been transported to the [Georgia Bureau of Investigation] Crime Lab for identification."
"This is a horribly tragic situation. We are working very hard on leads to help identify the two victims. Please keep them and their families in your prayers," Malcom concluded in the statement.
Plane crash at General Mills plant in Covington, Georgia
One witness, who was driving at the time of the crash, told CBS46 that the plane "was not very far over the top of us," adding that it "didn't sound great."
"I didn't know if it was loud just because it was pretty low. But the wings were wobbling just a little bit," said the witness, Rachel Barber.
Photos and videos shared from the crash site show a dark plume of smoke rising up over the surrounding area.
"The fact that [the place] didn't crash into the plant saved many lives," Malcom told reporters Thursday night.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that both the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the accident, according to an FAA spokesperson.
