12 Dead After Skydiving Aircraft Crashes Near Missouri Airport

Twelve people lost their lives after a skydiving plane crashed near Butler Memorial Airport in Missouri on Sunday, authorities have confirmed.

The aircraft, which was carrying 11 skydivers and one pilot, went down roughly 60 miles south of Kansas City after reportedly turning back shortly after takeoff.

Dennis Jacobs, director of the Bates County Emergency Management Agency, said the crash occurred near a highway, prompting officials to close the road while emergency responders secured the area.

Images broadcast by local television stations showed charred debris spread across a nearby field.

Authorities have not yet determined why the aircraft reversed course before the crash.

Addressing reporters, Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson said preliminary findings do not suggest any criminal or terrorist involvement.

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

Anderson also stated that he did not yet know the identity of the aircraft owner or the skydiving operator connected to the flight.

The FAA identified the aircraft as a Pacific Aerospace P750, a single-engine aircraft commonly used for skydiving operations.

Federal authorities confirmed that all 12 occupants died in the crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board will oversee the investigation, while the FAA continues to assist with inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

Meanwhile, grief counsellors and clergy have been deployed to support families affected by the incident, according to local officials.

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