A tragic skydiving flight turned deadly in rural Missouri, leaving 12 people dead after their aircraft plummeted to the ground. Bates County Emergency Management confirmed that the plane, operated by Skydive Kansas City, went down in Butler, Missouri, about 65 miles south of Kansas City, on June 14. On board were 11 skydivers and the pilot, with no survivors found along the wreckage path.
The aircraft had just departed from Butler Memorial Airport when it encountered trouble. Witnesses noted it struggled to gain altitude and attempted a sharp turn before crashing near a local highway. Authorities say the plane turned back for reasons still unknown. The Missouri State Highway Patrol, along with local law enforcement, rushed to the scene, while the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have launched a full investigation.
Skydive Kansas City had been running multiple flights over the weekend, but this particular trip ended in disaster. Emergency crews combed the area, but Bates County Emergency Management reported no signs of life. The probe is expected to stretch over several days as officials piece together what went wrong.
