2 dead after planes crash over Winter Haven lake, search and rescue continues, officials say

Two people have died in a plane accident involving two aircrafts colliding in mid-air over Winter Haven, rescue officials said.

At a press briefing, Polk County Chief of Staff Steve Lester said rescuers are searching for plane occupants in Lake Hartridge.

Law enforcement and fire rescue officials were notified of the crash at 2 p.m. and responded to an area near the Winter Haven Regional Airport, where witnesses said they saw two planes crash above Lake Hartridge, he said.

“As soon as we got here life saving efforts immediately started,” he said. “We are right now in the middle of a search and rescue.”

At the scene, one plane is partially submerged and another is 21-feet underwater.

The search is being conducted via water and air.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the planes are a Piper J-3 Cub sea plane operated by Jack Brown’s Seaplane Base in Winter Haven and a Cherokee Piper 161 fixed-wing plane operated by Ormond Beach-based Sunrise Aviation on behalf of Polk State College.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.

No other details were released.

This is a developing story.

arabines@orlandosentinel.com