Miracle Escape For Plane Load Of Skydivers
Passengers and crew jumped out with parachutes as the plane and stalled and burst into flames over a lake at 2,000ft.
All 13 people aboard a skydiving plane that plunged into a lake in New Zealand after an apparent engine failure have escaped with their lives.
Eyewitnesses said they managed to leap out in parachutes moments after the plane stalled above Lake Taupo on the North Island and burst into flames.
Television pictures showed the wreckage of the plane lying in shallow water.
One eyewitness, Tia Wall, said: "I saw the pink plane coming across. It had smoke coming out of it.
“I saw the parachutists jumping out and then heard a big bang. It blew up before it hit the water. "
Another eyewitness told reporters: “I saw everyone deploy out of the plane and the next minute it was in the lake.
“I think the pilot must have been the last to get out because he ended up in the blackberries."
Police later confirmed there were six passengers, six crew members and a pilot aboard the plane, operated by Skydive Taupo.
All were said to have landed safely without any serious injuries.
Roy Clements, chief executive of Skydive Taupo, said the plane developed an engine problem shortly after take-off at around 2,000ft.
He said the passengers were all overseas tourists who had each been assigned an instructor for a tandem dive at planned heights of 12,000ft and 15,000ft.
"The plane just made a big bang and then it stopped," he said. "The pilot told them to get out. He didn't have to tell them twice."
Mr Clements said the instructors were already wearing parachutes but each needed to hastily clip their passenger's harness with four attachments before leaping from the plane.
He said the pilot was also wearing a parachute, which is standard in skydiving operations, and jumped only after ensuring everyone else was safely away.
Everybody managed to steer their parachutes over the water and on to the beach or shoreline before landing.
"I was happy to see them all walk back into the hangar," Mr Clements said.
Transport authorities said salvage teams were on their way to the scene to begin an investigation.
source: Miracle Escape For Plane Load Of Skydivers
Passengers and crew jumped out with parachutes as the plane and stalled and burst into flames over a lake at 2,000ft.
All 13 people aboard a skydiving plane that plunged into a lake in New Zealand after an apparent engine failure have escaped with their lives.
Eyewitnesses said they managed to leap out in parachutes moments after the plane stalled above Lake Taupo on the North Island and burst into flames.
Television pictures showed the wreckage of the plane lying in shallow water.
One eyewitness, Tia Wall, said: "I saw the pink plane coming across. It had smoke coming out of it.
“I saw the parachutists jumping out and then heard a big bang. It blew up before it hit the water. "
Another eyewitness told reporters: “I saw everyone deploy out of the plane and the next minute it was in the lake.
“I think the pilot must have been the last to get out because he ended up in the blackberries."
Police later confirmed there were six passengers, six crew members and a pilot aboard the plane, operated by Skydive Taupo.
All were said to have landed safely without any serious injuries.
Roy Clements, chief executive of Skydive Taupo, said the plane developed an engine problem shortly after take-off at around 2,000ft.
He said the passengers were all overseas tourists who had each been assigned an instructor for a tandem dive at planned heights of 12,000ft and 15,000ft.
"The plane just made a big bang and then it stopped," he said. "The pilot told them to get out. He didn't have to tell them twice."
Mr Clements said the instructors were already wearing parachutes but each needed to hastily clip their passenger's harness with four attachments before leaping from the plane.
He said the pilot was also wearing a parachute, which is standard in skydiving operations, and jumped only after ensuring everyone else was safely away.
Everybody managed to steer their parachutes over the water and on to the beach or shoreline before landing.
"I was happy to see them all walk back into the hangar," Mr Clements said.
Transport authorities said salvage teams were on their way to the scene to begin an investigation.
source: Miracle Escape For Plane Load Of Skydivers