Authorities confirmed the discovery of three dead people after locating the remains of a missing small plane in a wooded area near a residential neighborhood in Bowie, Maryland, on the outskirts of Washington, D.C.

Maryland State Police reported that the victims were three adult men who were traveling aboard a single-engine Piper Cherokee aircraft, according to ABC News.

Identities have not been released while authorities officially notify next of kin.

The aircraft was on a flight to Maryland

According to the official report, the small plane took off at approximately 11:30 pm on Saturday from Ocean City, New Jersey, and was destined for Montgomery County Airpark Airport, in Maryland.

About 15 minutes after takeoff, Prince George's County emergency services received an automatic crash alert sent from an iPhone, triggering an extensive ground and air search operation.

Rescue teams later located the wreckage of the plane in a wooded area located near the point where routes 50 and 301 converge, in Bowie.

Authorities indicated that there were no injuries reported on the ground.

They are investigating whether it was a training flight

According to preliminary information, investigators believe that the aircraft belonged to an aviation school in Montgomery County and was possibly carrying out a training flight.

However, this aspect has not yet been officially confirmed.

According to the Israeli media outlet Channel 14, the three deceased people would be Israeli citizens, although US authorities have not publicly confirmed their identities or nationalities.

The place of impact was behind a residential area and close to a children's recreational area, according to the organizations participating in the operation.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation

The investigation was carried out by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), with support from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

So far, authorities have not determined what caused the aircraft to crash.