Plane catches fire shortly after take-off and crashes: Two dead!

Finland - Two people have died in the crash of a sports plane in the south of Finland.

The small plane crashed on the edge of a forest near Räyskälä Airport.
The small plane crashed on the edge of a forest near Räyskälä Airport.  © Juha Tamminen/Lehtikuva/dpa

The plane crashed at Räyskälä airfield near Helsinki, the airport operator told the Finnish news agency STT.

According to the rescue services, the plane had sunk again shortly after take-off and caught fire.

The cause of the accident initially remained unclear.

The Finnish online news portal Lentoposti.fi,which specializes in aviation, reported that the aircraft had only recently been sold to a German company.

At a press conference, the police initially declined to comment on the identity and nationality of those killed.

Räyskälä airfield is located about 80 kilometers northwest of Helsinki. The area is very popular with amateur pilots, including for gliding and parachuting.