Human Interest 4 Dead After 2 Small Planes Collide in Florida and Submerge Underwater "It is no longer a search and rescue operation, but a recovery operation," the Polk County Sheriff's Office shared in an update Tuesday night By Ingrid Vasquez Ingrid Vasquez Twitter Ingrid Vasquez is a Digital News Writer at PEOPLE. She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor in Journalism. Before joining the team, she worked as an Editor at FanSided and provided work in the celebrity and lifestyle space for brands that include Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, EW, and more. People Editorial Guidelines Published on March 8, 2023 12:56 AM Share Tweet Pin Email An in-air collision involving two small planes in Florida has left all of its passengers dead. The crash between a Piper J-3 Cub seaplane and a Cherokee Piper 161 fixed-wing plane occurred over Lake Hartridge, near the city of Winter Haven, the Polk County Sheriff's Office shared in a news release Tuesday. California Hiker Found Dead After Falling from Coastal Bluff in Oregon and Getting Swept Out to Sea PSCO Chief of Staff Steve Lester shared with The Ledger that a dive team went out on the lake around 4:35 p.m. — after first receiving a call about the incident around 2:04 p.m. — and discovered one partially submerged plane's wingtip. At the time, the other aircraft was about 21 feet underwater. Through the initial investigation, responders found the bodies of all four passengers on the aircrafts at the time of the crash. "All four located persons are the only occupants of the planes. It is no longer a search and rescue operation, but a recovery operation," shared the PCSO in an update Tuesday night. Norfolk Southern Train Conductor Dies in Collision Involving Dump Truck in Ohio The victims include Faith Irene Baker, 24, of Winter Haven, who was a pilot and flight instructor with Sunrise Aviation; and Zachary Jean Mace, 19, of Winter Haven, who was a Polk State College student in the same Cherokee Piper 161 plane. Randall Elbert Crawford, 67, from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was flying on the Piper J-3 Cub. Deputies are working to confirm the identity of the fourth deceased person, who was also on the same flight as Crawford. WFLA News Channel 8 Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "My heart goes out to the families and friends of those who were killed in today's crash. The NTSB and FAA will be investigating the cause and circumstances of the collision. Please keep the families in your prayers during this difficult and stressful time," added PCSO Sheriff Grady Judd in Tuesday night's update. The Federal Aviation Administration did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.