A skydiving plane carrying 15 people crashed at a New Jersey airport Saturday evening, prompting a full-scale emergency response and sending multiple victims to the hospital, according to authorities.
The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. at Cross Keys Airport in Monroe Township, Gloucester County. Local officials declared a “multi-agency mass casualty incident,” as emergency crews rushed to the scene of the downed aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that a Cessna 208B, used for skydiving operations, “went off the end of the runway” during a landing attempt. At the time of the crash, 15 people were aboard the aircraft.
At least five victims were transported to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, WPVI reported, though their conditions have not yet been made public. Authorities have not confirmed the status of the remaining passengers, and it is unclear whether they were injured or safely evacuated.
No fatalities have been officially reported at this time, and the exact cause of the crash is under investigation by both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Officials have yet to release additional details about the incident, including the aircraft’s flight path, weather conditions, or whether the plane had already released skydivers