Small plane crashes into ocean off San Diego with six people aboard

Authorities are investigating after a small plane crashed into the ocean 8 kilometres off the coast near San Diego with six people aboard.

US Coast Guard officials said a debris field was discovered near Point Loma Sunday afternoon and began searching for the wreckage in an area where the water is about 200 feet (61 metres) deep.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the twin-engine Cessna 414 crashed around 12:30 pm Sunday not long after it took off. Flight tracking website, Flightaware.com, showed that the plane was bound for Phoenix.

The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA confirmed they are investigating the crash.