Sweden plane crash leaves nine dead as aircraft carrying skydivers crashes into river

NINE people have died after a tourist plane smashed into a Swedish river this afternoon.

Horrified eyewitnesses told how they heard a loud “bang” before the plane plunged into a river outside Umea during a skydiving trip.

One told local Expressen how the plane spun into a sickening nosedive shortly after 2pm.

It plunged into the river near the island of Storsandskar after sending a distress signal at 2:12pm.

Fire service spokesman Conny Ovarfordt said: “We are already on the scene with a rescue team which is assisting the ambulance and we have opened a location, together with aid organisations, to give psychological and social care.

“It’s a parachute plane, and something seems to have happened just after take-off.”