Carley McCord, a WDSU reporter, died in a plane crash Saturday morning. She was 30.
The New Orleans NBC affiliate reports McCord was flying in an eight-passenger private plane to watch the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.
She was the daughter-in-law of LSU offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger. The crash happened just hours before the college football playoff game featuring the LSU Tigers and the Oklahoma Sooners began.
“We are devastated by the loss of such an amazing talent and valued member of our WDSU family,” said WDSU president and General Manager Joel Vilmenay. “Carley’s passion for sports journalism and her deep knowledge of Louisiana sports, from high school to the professional ranks, made her an exceptional journalist. As we reflect on her impressive body of work, we offer our deepest condolences to her family.”
McCord was also a freelance sideline and sports reporter for Cox Sports Television, ESPN3 and WDSU.
The AP reports five people were found dead at the scene of the crash and that one man, identified as a passenger of the plane, remains in the hospital. Click here to see video of the crash site.
McCord, who was born and raised in Baton Rouge, La., started her career as an in-house reporter for the Cleveland Browns before moving on to work on the morning show at CBS Radio Cleveland. She moved back to Baton Rouge to work as a local radio host at 100.7 The Tiger and at 104.5 ESPN Baton Rouge.
She’s also worked as the digital media reporter for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and was the in-game host for the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans and the NFL’s New Orleans Saints.
Statement from the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans pic.twitter.com/1WhBvJmjI5
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 28, 2019
McCord is survived by her husband Steve Ensminger Jr., her family and friends.
In August, WVUE anchor Nancy Parker was killed in a plane crash.
Parker was working on a story about a stunt pilot when the plane in which she was flying crashed. The pilot, Franklin Augustus, was also killed.