Covington, Georgia – Tragedy struck late Saturday when a small aircraft crashed shortly after departing from a local airport situated to the east of Atlanta, resulting in the loss of two lives.

The plane, a Rockwell Commander carrying two individuals, went down in close proximity to Covington Municipal Airport around 11:40 p.m., as reported by officials from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

According to police statements, there was an abrupt loss of contact with the aircraft immediately after it took flight.

Upon responding to the incident, law enforcement personnel located the wreckage and the deceased individuals in a wooded area just north of the runway in Newton County. This area is approximately 35 miles (55 kilometers) away from downtown Atlanta.

Authorities are currently engaged in efforts to verify the identities of the individuals who perished in the crash.

The circumstances surrounding this unfortunate event are under scrutiny, as both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations to determine the cause of the accident.