ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — Authorities now say a plane crash that happened in Orangeburg County on Saturday morning left one person dead.
According to an updated statement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the crash of an aircraft happened around 10:20 a.m.
The single-engine Beech BE-35 airplane crashed in a field about six miles from the Orangeburg Municipal Airport according to the FAA.
In the updated statement shared around 3:30 p.m., the FAA said the aircraft left Lowcountry Regional Airport in Walterboro, South Carolina en route to Jim Hamilton -- LB Owens Airport (CUB) in Columbia. There was only one person aboard the airplane, the FAA said.
In a briefing later in the day, Coroner Samuetta Marshall confirmed that the lone occupant had died in the crash but said an official identification wouldn't be made until an autopsy is performed.
The Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office confirmed that deputies had been called out to assist after the aircraft went down but deferred additional questions to federal agencies.
Sheriff Thomas Summers in neighboring Calhoun County said that his office was initially assisting in the search for the aircraft - because the crash scene was believed to be in an area near the county line and possibly in Calhoun County. He has since confirmed that the crash was found in Orangeburg County.
Bill Staley, the director of emergency services in Orangeburg County, said that the aircraft was found in the area of Farnum Road.
The coroner said that the plane crash was found around 1:50 p.m. by a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) helicopter though medical helicopters also assisted. Marshall said several emergency organizations and fire departments assisted in the process.
She said that her office wouldn't speculate on the cause of the crash and said they would be meeting with the National Transportation Safety Board on Sunday. At this time, the wreckage remains at the location where it was found.
Both the FAA and the NTSB are investigating with the latter in charge of the investigation.