ISTANBUL 

Two people died late Saturday when their small plane crashed after taking off from an airport east of Atlanta in the US state of Georgia, according to a local report.

The single-engine plane crashed near Covington Municipal Airport around 11.40 p.m. (0440GMT Sunday), Atlanta News First reported.

Officers discovered the plane in the woods just north of the runway in Newton County, it said, citing police.

The two people onboard were found and pronounced dead at the scene, police added.