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Expert: Jämijärvi plane did not fall from very low

At least three people died on Sunday in a plane crash in Jämijärvi. Head Accident Investigation Board investigator Ismo Aaltonen says he does not know of any another accident in Finland’s history that would have involved so many parachutists.

Onnettomuustutkintakeskuksen johtava tutkija Ismo Aaltonen
Onnettomuustutkintakeskuksen johtava tutkija Ismo Aaltonen. Image: Yle

Aaltonen says the plane can’t have been flying very low when it went down and this may have saved some of the passengers.

He emphasized that this is only his initial evaluation and that more information will likely become available as the evening progresses. Aaltonen travelled to Jämijärvi Sunday night to assess the situation and an official investigation into the crash will begin on Monday morning.

Aaltonen confirmed in an interview that the plane was a light turboprop-powered aircraft meant for carrying parachutists and that the plane went down near the Jämijärvi Airfield.

Aaltonen said he can't remember a similar case having occurred in the past in Finland, particularly not one involving so many parachutists.

“Although there have been several cases abroad,” he said.

Aaltonen says preliminary findings suggest that some of the plane’s passengers may have jumped out of the aircraft before it crashed, but no more details were available.

The weather was good for flying throughout the whole of southern Finland on Sunday, he says, so that can be ruled out as a cause.

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