Sweden plane crash leaves nine dead

Nine people have died after a plane carrying parachutists crashed to the ground in Sweden.

The small plane crashed shortly after take-off, killing everyone on board.

The accident took place a little after 2pm local time on Storsandskar island.

Shocking footage of the crash showed the moment it came hurtling out of the sky, as Swedish media quoted witnesses reporting some of the parachutists were trying to jump off the plane as it came down.

Swedish airport authority Swedavia said the crashed aircraft was a GippsAero GA8 Airvan, an Australian-made single-engine plane popular with parachutists, that took off from Umea Airport.

The cause of the crash is not yet known.

"I can confirm that all those aboard the plane have died," Region Vasterbotten municipality spokeswoman Gabriella Bandling said.

One witness told Swedish broadcaster SVT she heard a loud noise from above before she saw the plane going straight down and crashing into the island.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven expressed "great sadness" over the accident in a statement to Swedish news agency TT.

He sent condolences to the families of the victims and said the government would stay in close touch with officials probing the crash "as it is important to investigate the cause".