Coast Guard video shows the dramatic moments two people were rescued from a small plane that crashed Saturday in a marsh near the Little Black River in South Carolina, not far from the Georgia border.
Officials say a Savannah crew hoisted the pair to safety just after 4 p.m. “with no reported medical concerns.”
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the downed plane is a single-engine Piper registered to Averett University in Danville, Virginia.
When contacted, a university spokesperson released a statement saying the plane was being pilot by a flight instructor and an aeronautics student when it "experienced an autopilot malfunction during takeoff."
"Both pilots were safe and suffered no injuries. They reverted immediately to their flight training, remaining calm and exercising excellent judgement," the statement continues.
The University says the aircraft was up to date on all maintenance and inspections.
