Reports say witnesses saw parachutists try to jump clear of GippsAero GA8 Airvan as it plunged into islands

This article is more than 1 month old

This article is more than 1 month old

A small plane carrying parachutists crashed in northern Sweden soon after takeoff on Sunday and all nine people on board were killed, officials said.

The accident took place a little after 2pm local time on Storsandskar island. Swedish media quoted witnesses reporting that some of the parachutists were seen trying to jump off the plane just before the crash.

Swedish airport authority Swedavia said the crashed aircraft was a GippsAero GA8 Airvan, an Australian-made single-engine plane popular with parachutists, that took off from Umea airport. The cause of the crash was not yet known.

“I can confirm that all those aboard the plane have died,” said Vasterbotten municipality spokeswoman Gabriella Bandling.

One witness told Swedish broadcaster SVT she heard a loud noise from above before she saw the plane going straight down and crashing into the island.

The Swedish prime minister, Stefan Lofven, expressed “great sadness” over the accident in a statement to Swedish news agency TT. He sent condolences to the families of the victims and said the government would stay in close touch with officials probing the crash “as it is important to investigate the cause”. </s> Nine people died on Sunday when a plane carrying them for a parachute jump crashed in northern Sweden soon after taking off.

The GippsAero GA8 Airvan, a single engine plane popular with skydivers, crashed shortly after 14:00 (12:00 GMT), having left Umea airport.

The plane crashed on an island on the Ume river, a police spokesman said.

All those on board were Swedish, police added.

The cause of the crash was not immediately clear. Swedish media quoted witnesses as saying some of the parachutists were seen trying to jump off the plane just before it crashed.

“I heard a weird sound, which didn’t sound normal. I looked up and saw a plane spinning like a top,” witness Peter Larsson told the daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter.

“At first, I thought it was an acrobatic flight, but we quickly realised that something was wrong,” he said.

Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf expressed his condolences in a statement published on Facebook.

He said: “In view of today’s tragic air crash outside Umea, which took nine people’s lives, I want to convey my condolences.” </s> Nine people were killed when their plane plummeted out of the sky during a skydiving trip in northern Sweden, authorities said on Sunday.

The single-engine plane, a GippsAero GA8 Airvan which is popular with parachutists and ordinarily seats eight people including the pilot, crashed on an island on the Ume river shortly after take-off from Umea airport.

The accident took place a little after 2 pm local time on Storsandskar island.

Shocking footage shows the moment the out-of-control plane plummeted out of the sky above rows of trees.

Swedish media quoted witnesses reporting that some of the parachutists were seen trying to jump off the plane just before the crash.

The police said that all the victims were Swedish, with one person holding dual citizenship. The names of the victims were not been disclosed.

'I can confirm that all those aboard the plane have died,' Region Vasterbotten municipality spokeswoman Gabriella Bandling said.

One witness told Swedish broadcaster SVT she heard a loud noise from above before she saw the plane going straight down and crashing into the island.

'In view of today's tragic air crash outside Umea, which took nine people's lives, I want to convey my condolences.

'My family and I send our thoughts to their families and relatives,' he said on Facebook.

Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said the government was in close contact with the relevant authorities as they investigate the cause of the crash.

He sent condolences to the families of the victims and said the government would stay in close touch with officials probing the crash 'as it is important to investigate the cause'. </s> Helsinki: Swedish officials said a small plane carrying parachutists crashed in northern Sweden soon after takeoff on Sunday and all nine people on board were killed.

The accident took place a little after 2pm local time on Storsandskar island. Swedish media quoted witnesses reporting that some of the parachutists were seen trying to jump off the plane just before the crash.

Swedish airport authority Swedavia said the crashed aircraft was a GippsAero GA8 Airvan, an Australian-made single-engine plane popular with parachutists, that took off from Umea Airport. The cause of the crash is not yet known.

"I can confirm that all those aboard the plane have died," Region Vasterbotten municipality spokeswoman Gabriella Bandling said. </s> HELSINKI -- Swedish officials said a small plane carrying parachutists crashed in northern Sweden soon after takeoff on Sunday and all nine people on board were killed.

The accident took place a little after 2 p.m. local time on Storsandskar island. Swedish media quoted witnesses reporting that some of the parachutists were seen trying to jump off the plane just before the crash.

Swedish airport authority Swedavia said the crashed aircraft was a GippsAero GA8 Airvan, an Australian-made single-engine plane popular with parachutists, that took off from Umea Airport. The cause of the crash is not yet known.

“I can confirm that all those aboard the plane have died,” Region Vasterbotten municipality spokeswoman Gabriella Bandling said.

One witness told Swedish broadcaster SVT she heard a loud noise from above before she saw the plane going straight down and crashing into the island.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven expressed “great sadness” over the accident in a statement to Swedish news agency TT.

He sent condolances to the families of the victims and said the government would stay in close touch with officials probing the crash “as it is important to investigate the cause”. </s> Victorian-made aeroplanes have been grounded after a fatal crash in Sweden left nine people dead.

Operations of the GippsAero GA8 plane have been suspended for 15 days, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority announced on Saturday.

It comes after the same model of plane crashed during a skydiving flight near Umea in northern Sweden on July 14.

"CASA has temporarily suspended GA8 operations as a precautionary step pending the outcome of further investigation by Swedish and European authorities," the authority said in a statement.

The European Union's aviation safety agency has issued an order to GA8 aircraft owners and operators across the EU not to operate the plane except for ferry flights.

The temporary suspension will last up to 15 days from midnight on July 20 and affects all GA8 aircraft in Australia and all Australian-registered GA8 planes overseas.

The single engine, high wing aeroplane with fixed tricycle landing gear is made in the Latrobe Valley by GippsAero. </s> (Bloomberg) -- Australia and New Zealand grounded Gippsland GA8 Airvan planes over safety concerns after a deadly crash in Sweden this month killed nine.

Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority halted operations of the planes made by Gippsaero Pty Ltd for 15 days from July 20, it said in a statement, adding it has sent an airworthiness engineer to Sweden to observe the crash investigation and collect relevant safety information. There are 63 GA8 aircraft registered in Australia out of a global fleet of 228, it said.

“CASA has been working closely with the Swedish and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency,” it said. “In response to CASA temporarily suspending GA8 operations in Australia, EASA has issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive to European GA8 aircraft owners and operators to not operate the aeroplane except for ferry flights.”

The fatal crash occurred near Umea in northern Sweden during a skydiving flight, CASA said. The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand said separately that information coming out of an initial probe showed the plane appeared to have suffered structural failure at 4,000 meters altitude.

The GA8 is mainly used in New Zealand on tourist flight-seeing operations, the N.Z. authority said, adding that 21 aircraft and 10 operators would be affected.

To contact the reporter on this story: Eduard Gismatullin in Hong Kong at egismatullin@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Shamim Adam at sadam2@bloomberg.net, Subramaniam Sharma </s> Nine killed as plane crashes during skydiving trip in Sweden

Nine Swedes were killed when their plane crashed during a skydiving trip near Umea, a small university city in northern Sweden, authorities said on Sunday.The small plane designed to carry parachutists crashed on an island on the Ume river shortly after takeoff from Umea airport, police spokesman Peder Jonsson said, adding that those on board were on a skydiving trip. The police said that all the victims were Swedish, with one person holding dual citizenship. The names of the victims were not been disclosed. King Carl XVI Gustaf expressed his sorrow in a statement. "In view of today's tragic air crash outside Umea, which took nine people's lives, I want to convey my condolences. My family and I send our thoughts to their families and relatives," he said on Facebook. Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said the government was in close contact with the relevant authorities as they investigate the cause of the crash.

For the latest news in entertainment check out Sde.co.ke and Pulser.co.ke , for everything sports visit Gameyetu.co.ke and ladies we have you covered on Evewoman </s> Australian-made GippsAero GA8 aircraft grounded after nine die in Sweden plane crash

Aviation authorities have grounded an Australian-made aircraft involved in a crash in Sweden in which nine people were killed.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has suspended operations of the GippsAero GA8 aircraft for 15 days as a precaution, as investigations continue into the cause of the crash near Umea in northern Sweden on July 14.

All nine people on the skydiving flight died in the crash.

"While we gather more information about that, we thought it was prudent to put them on the ground," CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said.

Swedish authorities have expressed concern that the aircraft may have broken up during the flight.

The GA8 is manufactured in Australia by GippsAero, which is based in the Latrobe Valley.

CASA said there were 228 of the planes in service globally, including 63 in Australia.

Spokesman Peter Gibson said the GA8 was first certified in 2000 and had not had a difficult safety history prior to the crash.

He said GippsAero held a production certificate issued by CASA to manufacture the GA8 and was subject to regular surveillance and safety checks by the authority.

The GA8 is a single-engine high-wing aeroplane with fixed tricycle landing gear.

It is used in Australia for a range of purposes, including charter flights and skydiving.

CASA has written to all Australian operators of GA8 aircraft, advising them of the suspension.

It has also written to all national aviation authorities who have GA8 aircraft operating in their jurisdictions.

In response to CASA's suspension, the European Union Aviation Safety Authority has issued an emergency airworthiness directive to European GA8 aircraft owners and operators to not fly the aeroplane except for ferry flights — for example, to return the aircraft to base.

CASA has sent an airworthiness engineer to Sweden to observe the accident investigation.
A GippsAero GA8 Airvan sky diving operation plane crashes on an island outside Umeå, Sweden, killing all nine people onboard.