Plane crash Deaths and injuries in three plane crashes in Germany

Three people were killed in a total of three plane crashes in Germany on Saturday. Two others were seriously injured. In two cases, the small aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. The causes of the accidents were unclear.

In the North Rhine-Westphalian district of Soest, a small plane crashed immediately after take-off from the airfield in Bad Sassendorf, a police spokesman told the German news agency DPA. Two people died in the accident. They had been taking part in a pilots' meeting at the small airfield.

The cause of the crash was initially unclear. The plane had crashed in a meadow nearby. Eyewitnesses ran to the scene of the accident and tried to administer first aid, said the police spokesman.

Crash of double-decker

Earlier, a small plane had crashed in Gütersloh-Spexard, south of Bielefeld, and crashed in the bushes. The 67-year-old pilot died in the crash, the police said. He was alone on board. The red and white biplane propeller plane had taken off from Porta Westfalica in the morning and was on its way to Sauerland. No details were initially given as to the cause of the accident.

In northern Hesse, two men were seriously injured when a light aircraft crashed shortly after take-off from Korbach airfield. According to the Kassel police, the single-engine Piper had failed to gain sufficient altitude and then crashed near the airfield. It is unclear why the take-off failed. The men were taken to hospital and their injuries were not life-threatening, they said.