AUBURNDALE, Fla. — A husband and wife died after their plane went down into Lake Arietta on Friday afternoon, according to a spokesperson for the Winter Haven Airport.
The airport tells 10 Tampa Bay that the couple's small yellow plane crashed into the lake around 12:49 p.m.
Auburndale officers and firefighters who responded to the scene reported a small fire was still burning on the surface of the lake near the 2100 block of Kirkland Lake Drive upon their arrival.
According to a press release, witnesses told law enforcement the plane was traveling to the south before making a turn to the west. The plane's right wing was reported to then have dipped before "entering the lake at a steep angle" and catching fire.
Members of the fire department deployed a rescue watercraft to search the area for survivors. Sadly, the police department says the body of a woman on the flight was recovered.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office marine unit also responded to the scene and recovered the body of a man from the wreckage of the plane, according to a press release.
Police say the plane involved in the crash was an "amphibious type private airplane" and is registered locally.
The FAA says it and The National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the crash.
This is a developing story. Check back with 10 Tampa Bay for updates.