In the United States, five people on a Christmas Eve trip to Key West, Florida, died yesterday morning when their small plane crashed shortly after takeoff. <br/><br/>Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd identified the pilot as a local lawyer, John Shannon. He had taken off at roughly 7:15 AM from Bartow Municipal Airport, east of Tampa, with three relatives and a family friend aboard a twin-engine Cessna 340, Judd said. After taking off, the plane came down on the airport's east runway in what Judd described as a horrific crash. Judd described Shannon as an accomplished pilot and said it was unclear what caused the crash. <br/><br/>While the cause of the incident is under investigation, but he added that the weather was foggy and not conducive for taking off. The crash killed the pilot John Shannon, 70, his two adult daughters, his son-in-law and a family friend, the Polk County Sheriff said.

In the United States, five people on a Christmas Eve trip to Key West, Florida, died yesterday morning when their small plane crashed shortly after takeoff. <br/><br/>Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd identified the pilot as a local lawyer, John Shannon. He had taken off at roughly 7:15 AM from Bartow Municipal Airport, east of Tampa, with three relatives and a family friend aboard a twin-engine Cessna 340, Judd said. After taking off, the plane came down on the airport's east runway in what Judd described as a horrific crash. Judd described Shannon as an accomplished pilot and said it was unclear what caused the crash. <br/><br/>While the cause of the incident is under investigation, but he added that the weather was foggy and not conducive for taking off. The crash killed the pilot John Shannon, 70, his two adult daughters, his son-in-law and a family friend, the Polk County Sheriff said.