3 People Rescued from Lake Michigan by Coast Guard 40 Minutes After Plane Crashed into Water

Three people have been rescued after the plane they were in crashed into Lake Michigan, according to reports.

At around 12:35 p.m. local time on Thursday, Sept. 11, a Cirrus SR22 aircraft crashed into the lake near Racine, Wis., around 20 minutes after taking off from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport toward Michigan, TMJ4 News and WMTV 15 News reported.

An airport spokesperson said that the plane “encountered a problem in flight” before crashing into the water, per TMJ4 News. 

“All three [passengers] were in the water, not sure if they were hanging onto the aircraft, but all three were in the water,” Lt. Joe Neff with the U.S. Coast Guard told the outlet.

The U.S. Coast Guard was notified of the incident by air traffic control at around 12:45 p.m. local time and deployed a 45-foot response boat and a Jayhawk helicopter crew in their rescue, per NBC Chicago.

The three male passengers, who were each wearing life jackets, were uninjured after waiting in the water for 40 minutes to be rescued, according to TMJ4 News.

“We’re very fortunate that not only they, all three were safe in the plane crash, but then were able to have life jackets to float there in the water for about 40 minutes before we got on scene to pick them up,” Lt. Neff told the outlet.

The U.S. Coast Guard reported that the aircraft was fully submerged in the lake after the crash, per NBC Chicago. The men were taken to the Milwaukee Coast Guard station following their rescue.

According to data from FlightAware, at around 20 minutes into the flight, the plane flying east turned around as it experienced a significant decrease in speed before dropping in altitude. Another plane was then seen circling above that location.

Pilot Terry Sweeney, who was flying in the area at the time, was contacted by air traffic control and asked to circle the area to “look for a downed aircraft,” he told WISN 12 News. He said that he eventually spotted a parachute in the water and air traffic control came out to the location.

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The cause of the crash is not yet known, but the Coast Guard is investigating the incident, according to reports.

“It’s a great story for all of us. You know, all three persons are covered and then the big thing that we like to point out: they were all wearing life jackets,” Coast Guard Lt. Joe Neff said, per NBC Chicago. “Life jackets do save lives.”

PEOPLE has reached out to the U.S. Coast Guard and Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport for comment.