FRANKLIN COUNTY, NC. (THECOUNT) — The CEO of Vetted International, Brian Sjostedt, and two female passengers, were killed when a small plane crashed into a Franklin County on Friday night.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, Sjostedt was piloting a small plane traveling with two passengers when the fatal crash occurred after 7:30 p.m. near Clifton Pond Road near Mc Wilder Road, in Harris, North Carolina.

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Sjostedt, current CEO of Vetted International, which according to Linkedin provides, “International Investigations, International Medical Case Management, International Medical Evacuations, Security Management, Business Solutions, Treasury Management, Private Instrument Pilot.

He is also listed as a former officer with the Raleigh Police Department, a former Wake DA investigator and a retired member of the U.S. Marine Corps, WRAL reported Sunday.

Officials say a neighbor heard an explosion and called 911.

Following the crash the plane became submerged in water.

An FAA spokesperson previously said the pilot was the only person on board the Cessna C182 plane that took off from Triangle North Executive Airport and was heading toward Hilton Head, S.C.

Authorities said they do not believe a distress signal was sent from the single-engine plane before the crash.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will work to determine the cause of the crash.

Geo quick facts: Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,619. Its county seat is Louisburg – Wikipedia.