The North Carolina State Highway Patrol says two people have died in the crash of a small plane near Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

Sgt. Michael Baker reported the deaths at a news briefing Monday. A statement from RDU revealed the victims to be Dr. Harvey Partridge and Patricia Partridge, both 72, of Terra Ceia, Florida.

The plane disappeared from radar Sunday night as it approached the airport and the wreckage was discovered Monday near a trail at William B. Umstead State Park.

Rescuers from at least a dozen state and local agencies spent the night searching in and around the park, a 5,600-acre (2,260-hectare) wooded expanse bounded by an interstate, the airport and a state highway. The park remained closed Monday, and people were asked to avoid the area while authorities secured the crash site.

The Federal Aviation Administration radar lost track of the Piper PA32 at about 7:25 p.m. Sunday as it approached Runway 32, the smallest of three landing strips and perpendicular to what the airport considers its primary runway. Air operations were halted for about 20 minutes as firefighting and rescue units rushed to the wooded area.

Responders are continuing to evaluate the site. The National Transportation Safety Board is now leading the investigation.

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