Crews search for plane wreckage, people

LONG BEACH, Calif., May 19 (UPI) -- Rescue crews Tuesday searched for at least three people involved in an in-flight collision between two small planes near Long Beach, Calif., officials said

The U.S. Coast Guard said one plane, a Cessna 172 , departed from Long Beach with an instructor and a student pilot on board and the other was a low-wing, twin-engine aircraft in which it was thought the pilot was the only occupant, KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, said.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said another pilot reported seeing the collision around 5:45 p.m. Monday.

Crews were focusing on two debris fields found five miles south of the Long Beach Breakwater, Coast Guard Lt. J.G. Stephanie Young said.

The search team recovered a wheel and some other plane debris, officials said.

The U.S. Coast Guard, the Los Angeles City Fire Department and the Long Beach Fire Department were involved in the search efforts, KTLA said. The FAA was assisting in the investigation as well.