Couple Die in Georgia Plane Crash 'Doing What They Loved': 'We Find Comfort Knowing They Were Together'

Sandra Denton and Robert Denton.Photo: Oconee County Georgia Sheriff’s Office/Facebook

A plane crash in Georgia has claimed the lives of a couple who shared a love of flying, according to their family.

TheOconee County Sheriff’s Office(OCSO) said a small plane carrying the couple crashed in Watkinsville just after 2:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday.

“We are devastated,” they wrote, noting that the pair were “both seasoned pilots.”

“While taken from us far too soon,we find comfort knowing they were togetherand doing what they loved, flying,” the family added.

Robert and Sandra were traveling to Winder, Ga., from Leesburg, Fla., in the family-owned plane at the time of the crash, according to the statement.

Oconee County Sheriff James Hale said the plane was destroyed upon impact, according to theAthens Banner-Herald.

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Robert and Sandra were “beloved residents” of Williamsburg and Clare, Michigan, as well as the The Villages retirement community in Florida, according to their family.

“Robert and Sandra lived life to the fullest and were two of the most thoughtful and loving people you could know,” family members said. “We are sincerely grateful for the outpouring of support shown to our family from Robert and Sandra’s many friends and neighbors.”

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA are investigating the crash, according to the sheriff’s office.

The NTSB did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

source: people.com