Three men were killed Monday when the small plane they were riding in crashed in a wooded area east of Claxton-Evans County Airport.

Evans County Sheriff Mac Edwards said Monday afternoon that officials were waiting on a lab report before releasing the names of the victims. 

According to a release from Edwards, the Sheriff’s Office was alerted to a plane reported missing and unaccounted for at 12:30 a.m. Monday. Deputies conducted a search of the airport property, which is located about two miles north of downtown Claxton, and the surrounding area.

Finally, after hours of search and help from the Federal Aviation Administration and Georgia State Patrol Aviation, Edwards said the downed plane was located about 5:20 a.m. Three men were found deceased in the wreckage. 

The FAA and investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board are in command of the site and the incident, Edwards said.

According to the FAA, the plane is a single-engine Piper-PA30 that was built in 1964. It is registered to David Hodges of Reidsville.  

“Please pray for the families involved in this tragic incident, as our hearts go out to them during this time,” Edwards said.