Nine reported dead in New Zealand plane crash

DPA

Nine people died Saturday when a light aircraft on a sky—diving flight crashed at Fox Glacier on New Zealand’s South Island, news reports said.

Locals said the Fletcher fixed—wing plane crashed and burst into flames after taking off at an airport near the glacier.

Early reports were confused with one quoting a police officer as saying a pilot and eight passengers were on the flight while Television New Zealand said one person survived the crash and was taken to hospital in Greymouth.

The 14—kilometre—long Fox Glacier, which sits on the western side of the Southern Alps, is one of New Zealand’s biggest tourist attractions.