Witnesses watched in horror as an aircraft carrying skydivers plummeted into an island outside the northern city of Umea, on Sweden's eastern coastline, killing all aboard. One witness said he heard the strange sound and watched as the plane plummeted, nose-first toward the River Ume, then crashed out of sight with a loud 'bang'. Axel Pettersson, 16, told Aftonbladet he was sitting on the couch at his home near when heard a sound from the skies becoming higher, and higher-pitched. Axel said he is used to the sounds of the planes arriving and departing, but described the noise as like one he had never heard before. He went outside and saw a plane circling. He began filming, and seconds later captured the plane plummeting rapidly. He said he heard it crash with a loud "bang" then everything went quiet. He called for his parents who immediately alerted emergency services. At a press conference following the crash, air crash investigation authorities told media all the dead were Swedish, including one person who had dual citizenship. The authorities rejected reports a wing had fallen off the airborne plane before it crashed. Witness reports said some of the parachutists were seen trying to jump off the plane just before the crash. Authorities in Sweden said the plane had taken off from Umea Airport (UME/ESNU) shortly after 1.30pm and sounded an alarm at 2.12pm. Local police told Sweden's SVT reports of the crash came in about 2pm. Swedish airport authority Swedavia said the crashed aircraft was a GippsAero GA8 Airvan, an Australian-made single-engine plane popular with parachutists. The King of Sweden, 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," he said. "My family and I send our thoughts to their families and relatives."
Aircraft Information:
Airline: Skydive Umea
Aircraft: Gippsland GA-8 Airvan
Registration: SE-MES
Serial Number: GA8-TC320-12-178
OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE IMMEDIATE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AND EVERYONE AT SKYDIVE UMEA
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