Two bodies were recovered after a light plane crashed near the island of Samos, east of the Aegean, on its way to Israel, Greek media reported Monday evening.
The cause of the plane crash, a Cessna 182 operating from a small Haifa airfield, is still unknown, but it probably stemmed from technical difficulties before landing.
Images of the crash site of an Israeli light aircraft in Samos, Greece
(Video: Samos Voice)
The four-passenger aircraft is considered very safe and reliable and is mainly used for training flights and leisure flights among other civilian uses.
The plane disappeared from radar around eight in the evening (Israel time).
According to local media reports, three boats crashed at the crash site, including a Coast Guard boat and a fishing boat. A Greek Air Force Super Puma helicopter was also sent to the scene of the crash.
“We saw wreckage of the plane at sea a mile south of the airport,” a Coast Guard officer told Reuters.
The identities of the victims are unknown.
The Foreign Ministry has not yet commented on the incident.
* This is a developing story *