Planes carrying parachutists collide, crash in Slovakia

August 20, 2015

Two planes carrying parachutists collided this morning in western Slovakia, near the Czech Republic. Of around 40 on board, seven are confirmed dead.

The crash site near is hard to access; rescuers are using helicopters. Investigators believe some passengers survived by jumping from one of the aircraft, which are believed to be twin-engined. An eyewitness told  he saw people leaping from one aircraft as it went down.

The parachutists were practising over the, the mountains that form the Slovak-Czech border, for an upcoming airshow in this weekend. Health Minister and Interior Minister  visited the site.

The aircraft collided at around 8:30a.m. at a height of around 5,000 (1,500). Photos of the scene show scattered wreckage, some of it aflame.