Skydiving plane crashes in Hawaii, killing five

Five people died Monday morning after a small plane carrying skydivers crashed in Hawaii, officials said.

Four of the victims were pronounced dead at the crash site, in an open field near Port Allen airport on Kauai, state and local officials said.

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A fifth person was transported to a local hospital where he later died.

Local fire officials said in a statement that they believe the plane was carrying two instructors, two jumpers and a pilot.

Ian Gregor, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman, told NBC News that the single-engine Cessna 182H was taking off from Port Allen at 9:30 a.m. local time, when it came down "under unknown circumstances."

The crash caused the plane to catch fire, which sent flames through the surrounding brush, said Tim Sakahara, a state Department of Transportation spokesman.

NBC affiliate KHNL identified the plane's operator as Skydive Kauai. A message seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Authorities had not yet confirmed the names of the victims, Sakahara told NBC News, adding that the National Transportation Safety Board was planning to investigate.

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