Santa Barbara: Two people were critically injured Wednesday when their small plane crashed in California, authorities said. A Cirrus SR22 aircraft went down near Santa Barbara Airport around 2.15 p.m. local time (2215GMT), igniting a vegetation fire and forcing closures on the US-101 Freeway.
According to Anadolu Agency, witnesses pulled both occupants from the wreckage before deputies arrived. The victims were hospitalized with serious injuries, although Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Raquel Zick confirmed that there were no fatalities.
The California Highway Patrol reported that all lanes on the US-101 Freeway have been reopened following a brief closure due to the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.
No further details were immediately released as the investigation continues.