Small plane crashes in Columbia River; 2 aboard swim to shore

CASCADE LOCKS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A single-engine plane crashed into the Columbia River at Cascade Locks on Sunday, but the two Washington state residents aboard swam to shore with only minor injuries, authorities said.

Hood River County sheriff's deputies responded around 11:45 a.m. to 911 calls about the reported crash near the Port of Cascade Locks Marina, soon learning the two occupants made it to shore safely.

Witnesses said they saw the plane attempt to land at the Cascade Locks Airfield, but that it appeared the landing gear was not down, deputies said.

"The plane then nosed over toward the river and skipped along the water before coming to rest and sinking within the Coast Guard waterway," an initial news release said.

The male and female occupants from Bellevue, Washington were able to swim to shore and later were taken by medics to a Portland-area hospital for treatment of minor injuries, deputies said.

The cause of the crash was not yet known and will be investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board, the sheriff's office said.