Tragedy struck near Gulf Shores, Alabama, on Saturday night as a plane crash claimed the lives of at least two individuals.

According to reports from local news outlet WKRG, the private aircraft was en route to the Gulf Shores airport when it went down at around 6:50 p.m. local time (7:50 p.m. ET). In the immediate aftermath, the U.S. Coast Guard spearheaded a coordinated emergency response, deploying resources by air, land, and sea in a bid to manage the situation.

“A significant emergency response is currently active in the Sailboat Bay and Plash Island area following a plane crash in Bon Secour Bay,” the Gulf Shores Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Saturday evening.

They further detailed that “Marine & Dive Units, along with other first responders, are on the scene” to address the unfolding incident.

The ill-fated aircraft has been identified as a Beechcraft Bonanza, a detail corroborated by an image from Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images.

In addition to the Gulf Shores Police, the response effort reportedly involved multiple agencies, including those from Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Daphne Search and Rescue, American Medical Response (AMR), and the U.S. Coast Guard, working in partnership to handle the emergency.

Authorities have not yet confirmed how many people were on board the aircraft. The investigation remains ongoing.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. Coast Guard, Gulf Shores P.D., Gulf Shores Fire Chief Mark Sealy and Orange Beach Fire Chief Jeff Smith for comment.

The single-engine plane is believed to be a Beechcraft A36 Bonanza, AL.com reported.

The Beechcraft Bonanza A36 is a six-seat, high-performance, single-engine aircraft known for its speed, comfort and long production run (1970–2005).

It can currently be bought for between $199,000-$719,000, according to online listings.

There have been 186 air flight fatalities thus far in 2026, according to Aviation Safety Network data.

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