Germantown

It's uncertain whether anyone survived a plane crash in the Hudson River Thursday afternoon in the southern Columbia County area, authorities said.

The crash happened at about 4:30 p.m. when a pontoon plane apparently nosedived, according to State Police Capt. Robert Patnaude. The small two-engine passenger plane exploded and sank quickly into the water, authorities and witnesses said.

Officials had the scene — about halfway between the shores — surrounded by boats, but divers could not enter the water because the plane's fuel could penetrate wet suits, a potential threat to their safety, Patnaude told reporters in Germantown.

No details about the plane's ownership, the number of passengers, the model or where it was heading or had come from were available.

A statement from the Federal Aviation Administration said an unidentified general aviation aircraft had crashed into the Hudson River in Ulster County, but it did not have an identity or type of the aircraft.

At an 8 p.m. briefing, State Police said the plane hadn't been located and the current may be moving it around, either northward or southward. The water depth is about 25 feet in the crash area and sonar is being used to try to detect it, police said. Authorities would continue to monitor the area overnight.

They ask that if anyone spots debris to call (518) 622-8600 to report it to troopers in the Catskill office.

Many residents heard the plane faltering, but fewer actually saw the crash.

One person who did was 10-year William Saltis, who was fishing in the river. He said he heard a loud noise, looked up and saw the aircraft, which was heading north, drop.

"The nose went into the water and it flipped and blew up," he said. "Thirty seconds later it went under."

He started running to neighbors, asking them to call police.

Another Germantown resident, Kathy Overington, heard the plane's noise.

"It was something that made me think something catastrophic happened," she sad.

Several agencies are part of the search and investigation.

Kenneth C. Crowe II contributed to this story.