According to the United States military, a military aircraft has crashed in Tellico Plains in East Tennessee.
Reports stated the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said the plane crashed on River Road near a fish hatchery in the Cherokee National Forest on Sunday.
Federal authorities said they have assumed the crash was fatal. Recovery efforts were stopped Sunday night, and according to our sister station Local 8 News, military officials said the National Guard will be on the scene Monday to help find the plane.
Investigators told Local 8 News that civilians have been kept three miles away from the crash site. That was due to reports the plane had explosives in it.
U.S. Navy officials told NewsChannel 5 they had a T-45 based out of Meridian, Mississippi training in that area that had not returned to the air station, so they were looking into the possibility it was that plane.
They also confirmed their missing aircraft had two pilots on board -- an instructor and a student. The status of both was unknown.
This is a developing story, and we will bring you the latest details as they become available.
