3 Confirmed Dead In Plane Crash Off Bay Area Coast

SAN FRANCISCO — Three people were dead in a plane crash near Point Pinos, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed mid-day Sunday.

A small Beechcraft took off from San Carlos Airport in San Mateo County at 10:55 p.m Saturday and had been in the air for about 30 minutes when it crashed into the Pacific Ocean about 200 to 300 yards from Point Pinos, according to authorities.

Rescue crews from the Coast Guard and Cal Fire searched the wreckage and found two people unresponsive and without signs of life, according to the Coast Guard, but a third person remained missing Sunday morning.

Petty Officer Ryan Graves confirmed to Patch shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday that all three had been found and were deceased.

According to the Coast Guard, "watchstanders at Coast Guard Station Monterey received a relay from Monterey County detailing that a twin-engine Beechcraft, tail number N8796R, with three people on board had crashed approximately 200-300 yards off of Point Pinos.

"Station Monterey launched a 29-foot Response Boat-Small crew, which arrived on scene approximately 15 minutes after notification. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector San Francisco also coordinated the launch of an Air Station San Francisco MH-65 Dolphin helicopter air crew."

The plane had nearly reached its destination at the Monterey Regional Airport when it crashed.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the plane to crash into the ocean. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.