Twelve Killed After Skydiving Plane Crashes Shortly After Take-Off in Missouri

Eleven skydivers and a pilot have died after a small aircraft crashed shortly after take-off in the US state of Missouri, authorities have confirmed.

The aircraft, which had been leased by a skydiving company, departed from Butler Memorial Airport at approximately 11:20 a.m. local time on Sunday.

According to officials from Bates County Emergency Management, the plane failed to gain sufficient altitude after take-off. It then made a sharp left turn before crashing roughly 200 yards from the airport.

All 12 people on board were killed in the accident.

The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a Pacific Aerospace P750 and confirmed that it crashed while departing the airport.

The agency also noted that air traffic control services were not being provided at the time of the incident.

Local media reports indicated that emergency responders were examining the crash site to determine whether any skydivers may have exited the aircraft before it went down. However, authorities have not confirmed that any occupants managed to jump from the plane.

The city of Butler is located about 50 miles south of the Kansas City metropolitan area.

An investigation into the cause of the crash has been launched, with the National Transportation Safety Board taking the lead role in determining what caused the aircraft to lose altitude and crash shortly after departure.

Officials have not yet released the identities of the victims, and investigators are expected to spend the coming days examining the wreckage, flight records and maintenance history of the aircraft as part of the inquiry.