Search continues for remains of plane crash
By CHUCK MORRIS
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SMYRNA, TN (WSMV) — Multiple agencies continued to search through the night for a small jet that crashed into Percy Priest Lake near Smyrna on Saturday morning.
Emergency officials said there were major developments or discoveries as of Sunday morning.
The lead investigator from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is expected to be on site by midday Sunday to join local officials and the Federal Aviation Administration officials already on site.
Plans on Sunday include examining the extensive debris field. Dive teams from the Rutherford County Fire Rescue, Metro Nashville Office of Emergency Management, Metro Nashville Police Department and Wilson County Emergency Management Agency will be conducting dive operations in recovery efforts on Sunday.
“With dive teams in the water, we are strongly urging civilian boaters to stay away from the public safety boats,” Rutherford County Fire Rescue Captain and Incident Commander John Ingle said in a news release. “This is for their safety and the safety of our personnel in the water.”
The Lamar Hill boat ramp and Fate Sanders Recreation area are closed until further notice.
“Recovery efforts are ongoing on the lake from the Weakley Lane bridge to the Lamar Hill Boat Ramp,” Ingle said. “We are asking all civilian boaters to stay clear of those areas.”
The Cessna C501 plane crashed shortly after takeoff from the Smyrna Airport just after 11 a.m. Saturday. Officials said seven people were on board the plane when it crashed. One person has been confirmed dead and the others are presumed dead.
The plane, registered to JL & GL Productions LP in Brentwood, was headed to Palm Beach, FL, when the crash occurred.
Late Saturday night, Rutherford County EMA released the name of the passengers – William J. Lara, Gwen Shamblin Lara, Jennifer J. Martin, David L. Martin, Jessica Walters, Jonathan Walters and Brandon Hannah, all of Brentwood, TN.
All of the victims were part of the leadership team of Remnant Fellowship Church in Brentwood. Gwen Lara was the founder of Remnant Fellowship Church and Weigh Down Ministries.
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