Three Israelis killed in small plane crash near Washington, investigators say

Three Israelis were killed when a light aircraft crashed late Sunday about 30 kilometers east of Washington, D.C. The pilot and two passengers died, and there were no survivors. The crash happened at night, and the cause is still unknown.

Maryland State Police are investigating the incident. Based on available evidence, investigators believe the plane took off from Ocean City, New Jersey, and was en route to Montgomery County, Maryland. Emergency dispatchers received an iPhone crash alert shortly before midnight, and searches in the area continued until 3:45 a.m.

The wreckage was found in a wooded area behind a residential neighborhood. Reports indicate the aircraft was connected to a local flight school and that the flight was being conducted for training purposes. Police media officer Elinor Russo said, "It was dark, with no lights. The investigation will examine whether it makes sense to operate flights like this at night."

Russo added, "At this stage, we do not know what happened between New Jersey and Maryland. We have no eyewitnesses or any other evidence of the incident." Further details are expected to be released later.