STOCKHOLM, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Nine people were killed in a plane crash just outside Umea in northern Sweden on Sunday afternoon, Swedish News SVT reported.

A light plane crashed into a small island just two kilometers south of the end of the runway at Umea airport, killing all nine people on board.

"It is with great grief that I received the message about the crashed aircraft outside Umea. My thoughts are with the dead and their relatives in this difficult time," Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said in a written statement to Swedish news TT.

Relatives of the victims have been contacted, SVT reported.

The cause of the accident is still unknown, but police spokesperson Peder Jonsson confirmed to SVT that the fatal accident occurred during take-off.

"It is an aircraft for parachute-jumping, something seems to have happened right after the start," Conny Qvarfordt, an employee of the rescue services, told TT.

A helicopter from nearby Umea, together with the Swedish Sea Rescue Service, arrived on the scene almost immediately, SVT reported.

The plane crashed into the island called Storsandskar, shortly after 2 pm local time (1200 GMT). Enditem

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