10 killed in skydiving plane crash

All 10 people on board a single engine skydiving plane that crashed in America have been killed, officials said today.

Seven bodies were found in the wreckage in the Cascade mountains and the other three people still missing are also believed dead.

The names of the nine skydivers and their pilot have not yet been released.

The Cessna 208 turboprop was returning from a skydiving meeting at Star, near Boise, Idaho on Sunday evening to Washington state.

Based on radar transmissions and a hunter's report of seeing a plane flying low and then hearing a crash, the search was focused on a steep, densely forested area near White Pass, about 45 miles west of Yakima.

Members of the Tacoma Mountain Rescue Team followed the smell of fuel to find the wreckage in the rugged mountains.

The tail section was still missing.

The National Transportation Safety Board will begin an investigation today.

Elaine Harvey, co-owner of the skydiving company Skydive Snohomish, said nine of the 10 aboard were either employees of her business or else experienced skydivers who considered Snohomish their "home drop zone."