Plane crashes in Utah Lake; 2 inmates “hidden for a long period of time”

SARATOGA SPRINGS – A small plane crashed into Utah Lake on Friday, leaving two occupants “submerged for an extended period of time,” according to emergency officials.

“We have crews of personnel out on the lake. They just confirm a few things. The aircraft is in approximately 8½ feet of water. …The likelihood that someone is still viable is decreasing,” Saratoga Springs Fire Chief Jess Campbell said.

Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon later said there were “presumably” two people on the plane.

“I say we believe this because we have not yet recovered the aircraft, but based on the information we have, we believe there were two occupants of the aircraft,” Cannon said.

Cannon said the crash was “significant” and debris from the plane had been recovered.

“It would be very unlikely that anyone could survive this crash. But again, we cannot say with 100 percent certainty simply because we have not yet recovered the aircraft and the occupants of the aircraft,” Cannon said.

He said the plane was cleared to land at the Provo airport before it crashed in the lake.

The National Transportation Safety Board announced Friday on the social platform

NTSB is investigating Friday's crash of a Cirrus SR22 aircraft into Utah Lake near Provo, Utah.

— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) September 27, 2024

Utah Lake State Park is closed to the public “probably for at least the rest of the afternoon, maybe a little longer,” Cannon said, adding that an extensive search operation is still underway.

This story will be updated.