LUQA, MALTA: At least five people have died after a plane carrying officials from the EU border agency crashed in Malta.

The light aircraft went down in Luqa shortly after take-off at around 7.20am local time (6.20am BST) on Monday morning.

A witness told the Times of Malta the propeller plane suddenly tipped to its right side and "went straight down to the ground".

Footage showed the wreckage burning in a field, sending a huge plume of black smoke into the air.

There were not believed to be any survivors from the disaster, which is Malta's worst peacetime air accident.

Officials said the flight was heading for the city of Misrata in Libya and there was no immediate confirmation of the nationality of the victims.

Courtesy: The Independent