WASHINGTON — Three Israeli citizens were killed when a light aircraft crashed in the U.S. state of Maryland, Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed, after American authorities reported that three people died in the accident near Washington over the weekend.
The crash occurred in the city of Bowie, Maryland, late Saturday night or early Sunday, according to Maryland State Police and local emergency officials. Authorities said a single-engine Piper PA-28 aircraft went down in a wooded residential area, and all three people on board were pronounced dead at the scene. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on Sunday that the three victims were Israeli citizens. The ministry said Israeli diplomatic representatives in the United States were in contact with local authorities and with the families of the deceased. Details regarding the identities of the victims were not immediately released publicly.
According to Maryland authorities, emergency responders were alerted after a crash notification was received from a mobile device shortly before midnight. Search efforts continued for several hours before the wreckage was located near a residential neighborhood in Bowie, about 20 miles (32 km) east of Washington. Officials said the aircraft was discovered in a wooded area and no injuries were reported on the ground.
During a news briefing on Sunday, investigators said the aircraft was believed to have originated from New Jersey and may have been operating as a training flight. Officials cautioned that details about the flight and the circumstances leading to the crash remained preliminary pending the federal investigation.
“The NTSB is leading the investigation,” Maryland authorities said, adding that federal investigators would examine the aircraft, weather conditions, flight records and other factors before determining a probable cause.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry expressed condolences to the families of the victims and said consular officials were providing assistance. The ministry did not provide further details regarding the travelers’ purpose in the United States or their planned destination.
As of Monday, U.S. investigators had not released a preliminary cause of the crash. The identities of the victims had not been formally announced by American authorities, and officials said the investigation remained ongoing.
