12 killed as Skydiving aircraft crashes in United States

A parachute jump aircraft crashed in the US midwestern state of Missouri on Sunday, killing 12 individuals who were aboard, authorities confirmed.

The crash took place in the vicinity of Butler Memorial Airport, 60 miles (95 kilometers) south of Kansas City, said Dennis Jacobs, director of Bates County Emergency Management Agency.

The private airplane, which was transporting 11 jumpers and a pilot, made a turnaround without any apparent cause some time after its takeoff at 11:30 am and crashed near a highway, leading to the closure of the highway by authorities, according to local media reports.

Images from television cameras depicted burnt remnants in a field near the highway.

With nearby Kansas City set to host a number of World Cup games, Sheriff Chad Anderson said at a press briefing that no indications of terror attack or any other kind of criminal act could be observed from 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.