All 12 passengers on board a plane that crashed in Missouri died

Authorities in the US state of Missouri announced the death of all 12 passengers of a plane that crashed in the state. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said in a statement that forces were at the scene to assist the Butler Police Department and the Bates County Sheriff’s Office. The accident occurred near Butler Memorial Airport.

Missouri Highway Patrol Sergeant Justin Ewing said the plane was carrying people intending to skydive and said emergency responders received a call that a plane had crashed and caught fire at about 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

Ewing said emergency responders were able to extinguish the fire shortly after the accident, and described the scene as “severe.”

“The plane landed in a field adjacent to the airport, but I think they closed the road as a precaution,” Ewing said.

Teams from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were on their way to the crash site Sunday afternoon to conduct an investigation, according to the Missouri State Patrol.

Dennis Jacobs, acting airport director and director of the Bates County Emergency Management Agency, said the private plane was operated by Skydive Kansas City.

Jacobs added: “The plane had just taken off and turned left” before the accident occurred. “In my opinion, I think it was losing power, and the pilot was trying to get to the highway and land the plane, but he stopped and fell with the nose of the plane and it caught fire.”