A skydiving aircraft carrying 20 people crash-landed on Sunday, June 8, at a regional airport in Tennessee, leaving several passengers injured but miraculously causing no fatalities, authorities confirmed.
The incident took place around 12:30 p.m. local time at Tullahoma Regional Airport, approximately 70 miles southeast of Nashville. The aircraft, a DeHavilland DH-6 Twin Otter, was conducting skydiving operations when it went down under yet-unknown circumstances.
“There were no casualties,” said Lyle Russell, spokesperson for the City of Tullahoma, in a statement to AFP. “All 20 people on board, including crew and passengers, survived the crash.”
Emergency crews quickly arrived on the scene. Three individuals with serious injuries were airlifted to nearby hospitals, while one was transported by ground ambulance. Several others sustained minor injuries and received treatment on site.
Fortunately, no one on the ground was hurt, and no airport infrastructure was damaged in the incident.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched a formal inquiry, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol is assisting local authorities with the response.
Photos shared by the Highway Patrol on social media show the aircraft wreckage lying in a grassy area near the runway. The nose of the plane is buried in the ground, with the tail and a wing visibly detached. Emergency responders and police vehicles can be seen at the crash site.
Though skydiving operations are generally considered safe and are governed by strict regulations, this crash comes amid heightened global concerns about aviation safety following a series of recent incidents.
Further details will be released as the FAA continues its investigation.
