This story was updated at 7:00 p.m. ET with details from a press conference.
Federal officials say an F-16 fighter jet and a small plane collided in midair over South Carolina late Tuesday morning.
The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the fighter jet collided with a Cessna C150 around 11 a.m. The collision happened about 11 miles north of Charleston.
During a late-afternoon press conference, Colonel Stephen Jost of Shaw Air Force Base confirmed the F-16 pilot, Major Aaron Johnson, safely ejected from the jet, was being treated for injuries, and could be back at the base later tonight. Maj. Johnson was practicing instrument approaches and in contact with air traffic control when the collision occurred.
Officials did confirm that they were still searching for the two passengers in the Cessna, though they were assumed dead. A wallet, possibly belonging to one of the victims, had been found. It was also reported that the destination of the Cessna was likely Myrtle Beach.
Search and recovery continued into the evening hours. Another press conference is scheduled for Wednesday at noon local time.
More shots from that recovered engine. #chsnews pic.twitter.com/EMq7V2pAth— Sam Tyson (@SamInteractive) July 7, 2015
Witnesses who saw the crash described seeing a "ball of fire" after the collision, which sent pieces of both planes falling to the ground below. Others reported hearing the explosion.
“I didn’t see it; I heard it,” Wayne Ware told the Post and Courier. “I turned around, and I saw the jet. Pieces started falling out of the sky. His engine is lying right there at the campground.”
A Twitter account for Shaw Air Force Base confirmed that one of its planes had crashed and the pilot was "accounted for." Officials later said he "ejected safely" and was being taken to a local hospital.
A Shaw AFB F-16 fighting falcon crashed today near Joint Base Charleston at 11:30 a.m. The pilot on board is accounted for.— Shaw Air Force Base (@20FighterWing) July 7, 2015
There was no word on what happened to anyone aboard the Cessna, how many people might have been in the two aircraft or what might have happened to all of the remains of the planes.
"We don't know," Rescue squad chief Bill Salisbury said when asked if the second pilot survived during a Tuesday afternoon news conference. He added that the military plane struck the other small aircraft "broad side" and that its debris was scattered over a wide area. Residents were asked to call 911 if they see any debris.
"We are in investigative mode now trying to find out who that plane belong to and who was on board," Salisbury said.
The NTSB and the Air Force were both investigating the collision.
Watch live coverage from WCBD
Photos of the debris appear on Facebook, Twitter
Amy Ramsey Dye posted these two pictures of the crash on Facebook. #chsnews pic.twitter.com/6MnaxH3RzS— Joe Wright (@Sctvman) July 7, 2015
More pics from Amy Ramsey Dye of Berkeley County plane crash. #chsnews pic.twitter.com/DEcVLAoNuR— Joe Wright (@Sctvman) July 7, 2015
Someone who was on the scene of the moncks corner plane crash gave me this photo. pic.twitter.com/xovTKi4uE2— brenda rindge (@brindge) July 7, 2015
JUST IN: Pictures from scene of the plane crash at Lewis Field Plantation in Moncks Corner. #chsnews #BREAKING pic.twitter.com/TXO0eNd3ih— WCBD (@WCBD) July 7, 2015
Witnesses describe seeing and hearing the crash
My dad saw explosion in the sky driving down old Highway 52 on the way to church - learning now it was a plane crash. @postandcourier— Shawn Wood (@shawnwood) July 7, 2015
Witnesses saw explosion, ball of fire in the air. Scanner traffic indicates possible F-16 vs. small plane. https://t.co/xvnCUhUupK— Bryan Luhn (@bryluhn) July 7, 2015
Helicopters swarming above Lewisfield--apparently an F-16 and a small plane crashed right beside us. Prayers please everyone!— Kathryn C. Dennis (@kathryn_dennis) July 7, 2015
"There are parts of the plane in our yard," Kathryn Dennis tells The Post and Courier of the F-16/Cessna plane collision in Berkeley County— schuyler kropf (@skropf47) July 7, 2015
Additional reporting by The Associated Press.