Several people, including a state MP, have been hospitalised after a light plane carrying 17 people crashed south-west of Melbourne.

The aircraft was taking off from Barwon Heads airport near Geelong about 8am on Friday when it came off the runway.

It was apparently taking a group up for a parachute jump.

Instead, the pilot made an emergency landing nearby in Connewarre, police said.

Paramedics treated 17 people at the scene, including the pilot. A man in his 30s was flown to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne with upper body injuries, while another three were taken to a Geelong hospital with other serious injuries.

They were all in a stable condition, an Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman said.

Among the injured was Victorian state Labor MP Paul Edbrooke.

“Very relieved to be able to report that Paul is doing OK, and he tells me he’ll be back at work in no time,” Premier Jacinta Allen wrote on X (previously Twitter) on Friday afternoon.

“Sending my best to all the other passengers, and a huge thanks to our amazing emergency workers, as always.”

Tweet from @bridgerollo

Another three passengers were hospitalised for further assessments.

The Country Fire Authority also responded to the incident, which was deemed under control about 8.40am.

Investigations into the circumstances of the incident remained ongoing, a police spokesman said.

Aerial shots of the crash scene show the plane branded with a Skydive Australia logo.

The company has been approached for comment.

-with AAP