Paula Merritt / Meridian Star File PhotoA T-45C "Goshawk" at Naval Air Station Meridian's McCain Field.

U.S. Navy officials say an instructor and a student pilot have died in a plane crash in southeastern Tennessee.

The T-45 Goshawk training jet crashed Sunday afternoon in Tellico Plains, about 45 miles southwest of Knoxville.

Lt. Liz Feaster said Monday that the names of the two who died are being withheld until 24 hours after family members are notified.

The Navy said it would release a statement from Training Air Wing ONE Capt. Nicholas A. Mungas at 3 p.m. Monday. Mungas has held the leadership position for only a few weeks after relieving Capt. Paul A. Carelli on Sept. 15.

Around 6 p.m. Sunday, Training Air Wing ONE, based at NAS Meridian, was notified of a jet crash near Tellico Plains, Tenn. in the Cherokee National Forest, according to a Navy news release.

Training Air Wing ONE and Chief of Naval Air Training are investigating the possibility that a T-45 from NAS Meridian crashed, the Navy reported Sunday night.

A T-45C Goshawk training in the vicinity of Tellico Plains had not returned to the air station late Sunday evening, the Navy reported.

On Sunday, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, covering Tellico Plains, reported that the county dispatch initially received a call for a brush fire at 4:15 p.m. 

Upon arrival, a Forestry Service Officer told dispatch a plane had possibly crashed in the Cherokee National Forest at 4:17 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office.

Responders determined the crash, located deep in the forest, would need helicopter support for search and rescue. Helicopters, searching through debris, found the fuselage in the thick forest and rescuers attempted to rescue the occupants, according to the sheriff’s office

The sheriff’s office said it couldn’t release any more details and said further questions would need to be answered by the Navy.

David Chambers with Monroe County, Tennessee, Emergency Management Agency told WBIR.com Sunday evening that operations regarding a jet crash in Cherokee National Forest would be suspended for the night. Chambers said the field of debris is estimated to be at least a half-mile long.

The Navy briefly suspended all T-45C flights in early April and then limited flights to instructor pilots in May and June due to problems with the cockpit oxygen systems. 

After nearly three months of investigation, the Navy announced in late June students at NAS Meridian would resumed flying the T-45 Goshawk after engineers found a way to circumnavigate problems with the oxygen system.

Goshhawks based at NAS Meridian were involved in crashes at the base in September 2016 and again in January. In both cases, the two pilots in each jet ejected, taken to local hospitals, treated for injuries and released the same day.

Training Air Wing ONE is one of five training wings that belong to CNATRA.

The Associated Press and Whitney Downard contributed to this report. Please check back for updates.