Video taken by Rick Carpenter posted on Friends of Lake Wawasee Facebook page.
By Deb Patterson
InkFreeNews
LAKE WAWASEE — A sea plane crashed into Lake Wawasee early this afternoon, Saturday, Aug. 3. No official word on what caused the crash has been released.
Videos and photos of the crash and recovery are appearing on the Friends of Lake Wawasee Facebook page.
The Kosciusko County Communications Center alerted Turkey Creek Fire Territory at 1 p.m. after a caller from Ogden Point Road reported a single engine plane crashed into the lake.
Utilizing the department’s water rescue equipment ,firefighters converged by water and land. The pilot of the plane is said to have been rescued by nearby boaters before the aircraft sank. He reportedly was not injured.
As a precaution water contaminate barriers were placed around the crash site to absorb and protect any fuel or oil spreading from the lake. It is unknown at this time if any fuel or oil spilled into the lake.
The Wawasee Lake Patrol helped secure the scene until Rookstool Pier could arrive and remove the plane from the water. The crashed plane was taken to the boat ramp on the southeast end of the lake.
Officials from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources was notified.
Firefighters were at the scene assisting with the recovery efforts until shortly after 5 p.m.
Official information from the investigating agencies has not yet been release.
The seaplane that crashed into Lake Wawasee is recovered by Rookstool’s Pier..Photo by Larry Baumgardt.
