The witnesses in Sweden viewed in disbelief as an aircraft had plunged into the island, just on the border of the northern city of Umea on Sweden’s eastern coastline.
There were nine passengers on board all of which unfortunately died within impact. Region Vasterbotten municipality spokeswoman Gabriella Bandling said: “I can confirm that all those aboard the plane have died.”
A witness said he could hear the unusual sound for which he heard the plane plummet nose-first towards the River Ume, disappearing from sight with an aftermath of a loud ‘boom’ in the distance.
Another witness, Axel Pettersson, reported to the Swedish news team ‘Aftonbladet’ that he was sitting on the couch at his home near Umea Airport whilst eating for when he began to hear a sound from the skies gradually becoming louder and louder as the plane descended rapidly.
Axel said that even though he was used to the common departures and arrivals of aircraft, this was not a normal flight as soon as he heard it. Following this, he proceeded outside and spotted a circling plane. Seconds after beginning his filming of the aircraft, the aircraft began its rapid descent towards the ground.
He said he heard it crash with a loud “bang” then everything went quiet.
With disbelief, Axel said his pulse also increased significantly, barely being able to breathe. He thought to himself: “what the hell is happening now, what the hell is happening now, what do I do now”.
Immediately, he called to his parents while continuing to call the emergency services.
The Swedish Authorities said that the plane had departed out of Umea Airport just after 1.30pm with a following alarm that was sounded at 2:12pm
Local police told Sweden’s SVT reports of the crash came in about 2pm.
“The plane crashed in a river near the island of Storsandskar, located 2km from Umea airport. A police spokesman said, from early reports, the plane had nosedived in the river, south of the airport, on Storsandskar.”
There is not yet any confirmed report’s of the type of plane and cause of the accident.
Multiple witnesses that live nearby the Umea Airport informed another Swedish news page ‘Expressen‘ that they also had heard a ‘bang’ along with the plane seen dipping towards the river. Witnesses said the plane was seen spinning with its nose facing downwards before it plummeted.
“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,” Conny Qvarfordt from the local rescue services told Sweden’s TT newswire, reports Sweden’s The Local.
