11 skydivers and pilot killed in plane crash

Eleven skydivers and one pilot have been killed in a plane crash in the US state of Missouri, officials said.

The airplane, which was leased by a skydiving company, took off around 11:20 local time on Sunday, according to a Bates County Emergency Management spokesperson.

After failing to gain altitude, it made a sharp left turn and crashed about 200 yards away from Butler Memorial Airport, the spokesperson told the BBC.

All 12 people on board died, he said.

Local media reported that first responders are checking the area to see if any of the skydivers had jumped from the plane before the crash.

The city of Butler is about 50 miles south of the Kansas City metropolitan area.