9 believed dead following military plane crash in Georgia

Flames and smoke rise from an Air National Guard C-130 cargo plane after it crashed near Savannah, Georgia, on Wednesday. — (Image credit: James Lavine via AP)

A C-130 military transport plane belonging to the Puerto Rico National Guard crashed Wednesday right after takeoff from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia, and authorities believe all nine crew members are deceased.

The nearly 60-year-old plane was being retired, and was on its way to Arizona when the incident occurred. It crashed on a busy highway, and despite coming close to two bystanders on the ground, if didn't hit any people or vehicles, The Associated Press reports. Only the tail section of the plane was intact, with the debris field 600 feet in diameter.

Isabelo Rivera, adjutant general of Puerto Rico's National Guard, told AP the plane had been used by the 156th Air Wing to bring supplies to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and to evacuate U.S. citizens from the British Virgin Islands after Hurricane Irma. He also said the Puerto Rico National Guard has the "oldest planes on inventory," and out of five similar planes, two can't be used right now because they need maintenance. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.