Joe Lara, best known for his role of Tarzan in 1996’s Tarzan: The Epic Adventures, has tragically died on Saturday when a small plane crashed into a Tennessee lake. He was age 58.

Lara’s wife Gwen Lara was also onboard the private jet, as well as five other passengers. It’s been indicated that there were no survivors of the plane crash.  In addition to the Laras, the victims were identified as Jennifer J. Martin, David L. Martin, Jessica Walters, Jonathan Walters and Brandon Hannah, all from Brentwood, Tennessee.

“Our efforts have transitioned from a rescue effort to that of a recovery effort,” Rutherford County Fire Rescue Capt. Joshua Sanders said during a news conference. “We are no longer… looking for live victims at this point.

A Cessna C501 plunged into Percy Priest Lake near Smyrna, Tennessee, after taking off from Smyrna Rutherford County Airport at about 11 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. The flight was headed to Palm Beach International Airport in Florida.

Lara’s first acting break was when he landed the role of the lead in the 1989 CBS telefilm Tarzan in Manhattan. Lara then went on to play the Edgar Rice Burroughs character on the 1996-97 first-run syndicated series Tarzan: The Epic Adventures. Lara’s other work includes Sunset Heat (1992), American Cyborg: Steel Warrior (1993), Final Equinox (1995) Doomsdayer (2000), Baywatch and Conan.

Condolences have flooded in on social media for the Tarzan star and his wife, who were prominent members of the Christian church.

The Laras are survived by their daughter Elizabeth Hannah and Michael Shamblin. Our deepest condolences go out to the family’s loved ones during this difficult time.

For more on this topic check out the Film & TV Observer.

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