Latest news, weather and high school sports for Albany and Southwest Georgia

VALDOSTA, GA (AP) --
Local authorities say the search has began for the wreckage of a small plane that crashed in south Georgia.

Lowndes County Sheriff Chris Prine tells media outlets that the plane crashed Monday night in Lake Park.

The pilot left the Valdosta Regional Airport at 8:30 p.m. Monday and told authorities by radio that he was having some type of problems officials said.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen tells The Associated Press the FAA had issued an alert for a missing single-engine Diamond Aircraft DA 40 in the area. Bergen could not confirm the crash.

Around 50 people were searching in the Twin Lakes area Tuesday morning with a Georgia State Patrol helicopter to help assist those on the ground.

The number of people aboard the plane at the time is currently unknown.

Stay connected to MySouthWestGA.com as stories develop and the FOX 31 Newscast at 10 PM. Visit us on Facebook and Twitter to join in on the conversation and connect with FOX 31!

(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)