Photo: Contributed - .dominicantoday.com

A small plane crashed into the sea Sunday during an air show in the coastal capital of the Dominican Republic, killing the two pilots.

The Dominican military pilots lost control during stunt manoeuvring. The air force plane spun out of control, crashing into the water in front of thousands of spectators gathered at the waterfront of Santo Domingo. It slammed into the sea about 500 metres from where people were gathered.

The bodies of 25-year-old Carlos Manuel Guerrero and 27-year-old Rafael Sanchez were recovered by divers with the Caribbean country's navy and air force. Authorities have not recovered the wreckage of the Pillan plane, purchased from Chile in 1999.

It's the fourth year that the "Air Show of the Caribbean" has been held. It features international pilots and Dominican air force pilots. The rest of the two-day event, which started Saturday, was cancelled after the deadly crash.