Five die in Malta runway plane crash

Photo: Reuters

 

Five people have died after their plane crashed at Malta International Airport, the BBC reports.

The small aircraft, a twin-prop Metroliner, crashed around 07:30 (05:30 GMT), shortly after taking off from Luqa airport on a flight to Libya.

The victims’ nationalities have not been released.

Early reports that they were officials from the EU’s border agency have been denied. Frontex said the plane was “not deployed by” them and said “none of their staff were involved”.

Malta International Airport officials released a statement confirming the deaths. The airport is closed “until further notice”.