Plane erupts in flames after crashing on takeoff near Oahu airfield, killing nine 

NINE dead in Hawaii skydiving tragedy: Plane erupts in flames after crashing on takeoff near Oahu airfield

  • The twin engine King Air plane went down near an airfield on Oahu island’s North Shore on Friday
  • Hawaii’s Department of Transport confirmed there were no survivors on Twitter 
  • Footage showed a dark cloud of smoke billowing into the air from the wreckage

A light aircraft crashed in northern Hawaii killing nine passengers Friday, authorities said.

The twin engine King Air plane went down near an airfield on Oahu island’s North Shore, according to Hawaii’s Department of Transport (HDOT).

‘With extreme sadness HDOT reports there were 9 souls on board… with no apparent survivors,’ it said on its Twitter account.

Honolulu Fire Department Chief Manuel P. Neves confirmed there were no survivors. 

‘Upon arrival, we saw the plane fully engulfed in fire,’ he said at the scene. ‘The first crews on scene extinguished the fire.’ 

Remnants of an aircraft carrying nine people lies on the ground near a fence that surrounds Dillingham Airfield in Mokuleia, just off Farrington Highway

A plume of smoke was filmed above the crash site on Friday after a light-aircraft on a skydiving trip crashed in Hawaii

A plume of smoke was filmed above the crash site on Friday after a light-aircraft on a skydiving trip crashed in Hawaii 

Neves added that the crash occurred near the perimeter fencing of the airport. He added: ‘They’re quite a ways away from the runway.’ 

He said the aircraft was a skydiving plane that crashed at 6.30pm (4.30am GMT) on takeoff, according to local news channel Hawaii Now. 

TV footage showed flames billowing into the air from the wreckage.

According to its website, the single-runway Dillingham Airport primarily serves commercial glider and sky diving operations.

Honolulu mayor Kirk Caldwell said in a tweet he was ‘closely following’ developments, and that ‘our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victims.’

The twin engine King Air plane (similar to above) went down near an airfield on Oahu island's North Shore on Friday

The twin engine King Air plane (similar to above) went down near an airfield on Oahu island’s North Shore on Friday

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