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Pilot, passenger killed in Osteen plane crash identified

Update: 10 a.m.

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office has released the names of two people who died in a small plane crash Wednesday evening near Osteen.

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The pilot and flight instructor has been identified as Miroslav Velickovich, 62, of Tybee Island, Georgia.

He was conducting flight training exercises with his passenger, Miguel Duarte, 33, who was a member of the Peruvian Air Force, VCSO said.

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On its official Facebook page, the Peruvian Air Force posted the following tribute in regard to Duarte’s passing:

“The Peruvian Air Force fulfills the painful duty to communicate the sensitive death of our fellow arms Major FAP Miguel Fernando Duarte Lozada, expressing condolences to family and friends.”

The FAA and NTSB continue to investigate the cause of the plane crash.

Original story:

Two people died in a plane crash near Osteen Wednesday evening, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies responded to the area of Pell Road and Lopez Road just east of Lake Ashby shortly after 6 p.m. for reports of an aircraft down in the woods.

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WFTV was near the crash site late Wednesday, but was unable to see any wreckage, as the crash happened in a remote area.

Deputies said the small plane went down near the Wireglass Prairie Preserve.

Based on data from FlightAware, the plane took off from Spruce Creek around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and crashed just seven minutes later.

Deputies and members of the Federal Aviation Administration were out in the woods for several hours.

FAA and NTSB investigators will work to determine what caused the crash.

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According to FAA records, the plane is registered to a company in Georgia.

The names of the victims have not been released by law enforcement.

This story is developing. Stay with WFTV.com and watch Eyewitness News for updates as more information comes into our newsroom.

See a map of the area below:

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