A plane carrying 10 skydivers, including one making her maiden jump for her birthday, crashed shortly after takeoff in Belgium Saturday, killing everyone on board and the pilot, authorities said.
"There were 11 killed: the pilot and 10 skydivers, including one woman," Jean-Claude Nihoul, the mayor of Fernelmont where the accident happened, told AFP.
The woman, Maxime Prevot, was taking part in her first parachute jump for her birthday, said the mayor of Namur, the nearest major city.
The accident took place just before 4:00 pm some 75 kilometres (50 miles) southeast of the capital Brussels.
"The plane took off from Temploux aerodrome and crashed in a field around 10 minutes later," said Nihoul.
"The plane, partially burned up, could no longer be recognised," he added.
When firefighters arrived on the scene, the twin-engined plane was already ablaze and all the occupants dead, said Michel Doumont, head of the Namur fire service.
"There were 11 killed: the pilot and 10 skydivers, including one woman," Jean-Claude Nihoul, the mayor of Fernelmont where the accident happened, told AFP.
The woman, Maxime Prevot, was taking part in her first parachute jump for her birthday, said the mayor of Namur, the nearest major city.
The accident took place just before 4:00 pm some 75 kilometres (50 miles) southeast of the capital Brussels.
"The plane took off from Temploux aerodrome and crashed in a field around 10 minutes later," said Nihoul.
"The plane, partially burned up, could no longer be recognised," he added.
When firefighters arrived on the scene, the twin-engined plane was already ablaze and all the occupants dead, said Michel Doumont, head of the Namur fire service.
Source : Afghan Voice Agency (AVA), International Service
