FILE: Skydiving plane (Photo by Matt Jonas/Digital First Media/Boulder Daily Camera via Getty Images)
Troopers in Missouri say 12 people have died in a plane crash, with other outlets reporting the victims to be skydivers and their pilot.
What we know:
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash happened near Butler Memorial Airport, about an hour south of Kansas City.
Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Justin Ewing told The Associated Press the plane was taking people up to skydive. Sources told FOX4 that 11 of the victims were skydivers. The 12th was the pilot.
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Dennis Jacobs, the acting airport manager and Bates County Emergency Management Agency director, said “It had just taken off and made a left turn” before the crash.
What they’re saying:
“In my opinion, I think it was losing power, and he was trying to make it over to the highway and land, and he stalled and went down nose first and caught fire,” Jacobs told the AP.
What we don’t know:
The official cause of the crash is still unknown.
What’s next:
Teams from the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are on their way to investigate, according to the Missouri State Patrol.
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