Skydiving plane crash kills 12 in Missouri

WASHINGTON: A skydiving plane crashed Sunday in the central US state of Missouri, killing 12 people on board, officials said.

The crash occurred near Butler Memorial Airport, about 60 miles (95 kilometers) south of Kansas City, said Dennis Jacobs, director of Bates County Emergency Management Agency.

The private plane, carrying 11 skydivers and a pilot, turned around for an unknown reason after taking off around 11.30 am and crashed near a highway, prompting authorities to close the road, local media reports said.

TV images showed charred debris in a field near the highway.

With nearby Kansas City hosting several World Cup matches, Sheriff Chad Anderson told a press conference that authorities saw nothing terrorism- or crime-related in the crash.

“For all intents and purposes, (this) appears to be an accident,” he said.

Anderson said he did not know who owned the airplane or the name of the skydiving company or organization involved.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the crash and toll and identified the plane as a Pacific Aerospace P750, a single-engine aircraft designed and manufactured in New Zealand.

The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation into the crash, the FAA said.

Clergy were on hand to offer support for family members of the victims, Anderson said.