http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2362671.stm

US senator dies in plane crash

Wellstone was regarded as a strongly liberal Democrat
A plane has crashed in northern Minnesota, killing eight
people including Democrat Senator Paul Wellstone.

His death comes just two weeks before mid-term
elections in which he was hoping for re-election to boost
the Democrats' chances of retaining their one-vote
majority in the Senate.

The plane was heading
from St Paul to the Iron
Range area in the north of
the state when it came
down seven miles (10
kilometres) east of the
Eveleth-Virginia Municipal
Airport, a Department of
Transportation spokesman
said.

Senator Wellstone's wife,
one of his three children, a
daughter, and three staff
members helping him to
campaign were also killed.

The weather at the time was reported to be cold, foggy
and with a freezing rain.

'Feisty character'

The St Louis County sheriff's office said rescue
personnel were on the scene.

The crashed plane was a Beechcraft King Air 200 - a
twin-engine turboprop made by Raytheon.

A BBC Washington correspondent, Nick Bryant, said
Senator Wellstone was one of the most liberal
Democrats in the US Senate.

He said he was an energetic and feisty character who
was one of the strongest opponents of a war against
Iraq.

Election upset

Senator Wellstone won his seat in 1990 in an
improbable upset, and was trying to hold on to it in the
face of a strenuous challenge from Norm Coleman, the
former mayor of St Paul.

Senator Wellstone grew up in northern Virginia, the son
of Russian immigrants.

His death echoes the death of Missouri Governor Mel
Carnahan, who was killed in a plane crash ahead of a
senatorial election in 2000.

Carnahan remained on the ballot sheet and won the
election. His governorship was taken up by his wife,
Jean.

Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura - an independent -
may now appoint a replacement for Mr Wellstone.