A woman died late Friday afternoon when a small airplane hit power lines and crashed into the Mississippi River in Anoka, according to the Anoka County sheriff’s office.
The woman, who was not immediately identified, was reportedly in a single-engine, four-passenger Cessna that crashed into the river at about 5:45 p.m. between Champlin and Anoka.
A spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office said it was possible there might be other victims, but it was not known late Friday night if other passengers were on board. Initial reports said there were three fatalities.
Late into the evening, sheriff’s deputies used boats to search the river for other victims and debris.
The plane reportedly took off from the Crystal Airport. It headed about six miles north and was flying close to the ground when it hit power lines and plunged into the water.
A witness told KSTP-TV that the plane lost a wing after hitting the power lines. Other witnesses said they saw a flash at the time of impact with the lines. They also reported seeing several pieces of wreckage floating in the river.
The sheriff’s office temporary command center, set up near the accident during the investigation, was at 2701 Cutters Grove Ave. in Anoka.
No further details were available Friday evening from the sheriff’s office.
