(WTSP) Three people lost their lives after a small plane crashed into a mobile home park in Clearwater, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a preliminary report released Friday morning.
The FAA says the plane's pilot and two people inside of a mobile home were killed.
On Friday afternoon, the Clearwater Police Department said as many as 9 people had been inside the mobile home that was directly hit but all but two had left before the crash.
"Our thoughts are with the three victims and their families; this tragedy could have been even worse," Police Chief Eric Gandy said.
Clearwater Fire Chief Scott Ehlers first confirmed that there were multiple fatalities Thursday evening after the plane crashed into the mobile home park, igniting several homes.
The plane's pilot called "mayday, mayday, mayday," before coming down in the Bayside Waters mobile home community, Ehlers said during a news conference. "They were in contact with Tampa approach and having issues."
According to police, the plane had taken off from Vero Beach earlier in the day.
Multiple crews, including police, fire and medical, were dispatched just after 7 p.m. to the community located off U.S. Highway 19 and just south of Gulf to Bay Boulevard.
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