Britons killed in Australia crash

Five of the plane's seven occupants died in the crash

Two Britons were among five skydivers killed after their plane crashed shortly after take-off in Australia.

The UK Foreign Office confirmed the deaths of the British man and woman but have not released their names as next of kin have not been notified.

An Irishman and two Australians also died, while two people survived. There were three trainee skydivers, three instructors and a pilot on board.

The Cessna 206 plunged into a reservoir near the town of Ipswich in Queensland.

The aircraft seemed to have difficulty gaining height after it took off, said Ipswich police inspector Noel Powers.

Witnesses reported seeing a plume of smoke from the back of the plane before it clipped a tree and crashed into the lake, he added.

Engine examined

Emergency services found the plane, operated by the Brisbane Skydiving Centre, submerged upside down in the water about 1,600ft (487 metres) from its take-off point.

One of the survivors, a 57-year-old man who owned the skydiving club, was flown to a hospital in Brisbane with major injuries, according to police spokeswoman Kim McCoombe.

The other survivor, a woman, aged 27, was being treated for more minor injuries at a hospital close to the scene of the crash, about 45 miles (72km) from Brisbane.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is to conduct an investigation.

Reports of smoke "gives us some clues as to where we have to look", said ATSB deputy director Alan Stray.

He said the aircraft's engine, which should have enabled it to climb quickly after takeoff, would be taken away for analysis.

According to the Australian Parachute Federation, the crash is the worst skydiving accident in the country's history.