WINDSOR, Ontario ? Hampered by snow and low clouds, U.S. and Canadian crews called off rescue efforts Sunday for 10 people believed killed when a small regional airline plane crashed into icy Lake Erie shortly after taking off from a Canadian island.

The single-engine plane crashed in snowy weather late Saturday afternoon, and by Sunday it was submerged in 24 feet of water about a mile west of Pelee Island, the Ontario Provincial Police said.

“Unfortunately, this has changed from a rescue mission to a recovery mission,” said Constable Brian Knowler of the provincial police in Kingsville. A statement from the police said rescue operations ended at noon CST.

The Georgian Express plane, carrying eight hunters from Ontario, the pilot and a friend of the pilot, was bound for Windsor, about 35 miles to the northwest, when the pilot made a frantic call for help soon after taking off.

The wreckage of the Cessna 208 Caravan was found Saturday evening in western Lake Erie, between Cleveland and Detroit, but bad weather kept rescuers from finding the victims.

The region has been locked in bitterly cold weather, with temperatures in the 20s Saturday and early Sunday in northern Ohio. Wind and snow flurries were forecast Sunday, with waves of 2 to 4 feet, and the water temperature was about 34 degrees.

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Neah Bay stayed at the scene of the crash during the night, but snow and low clouds forced helicopters to leave.

“The weather became a very big factor in our efforts,” said Capt. Dave Elit of the Canadian search and rescue coordination center at Canadian Forces Base Trenton.

Provincial police said divers and salvage equipment were expected to arrive at the scene Sunday evening.

Authorities identified the victims as pilot Wayne Price, 32, of Richmond Hill, Ontario; Fred Freitas, 38, of Kingsville; Jim Allan, 51, of Mitchell’s Bay; Ted Reeve, 53, of Chatham; Tom Reeve, 49, of Chatham; Robert Brisco, 46, of Chatham; Ronald Spencler, 53, of Windsor; Walter Sadowski, 48, of Windsor; Larry Janik, 48, of Kingsville; and Jamie Levine, 28, of Los Angeles.

The eight male passengers were part of a hunting group, and Levine was a friend of Price’s.