Small plane crash in north Brazil kills 7

Small plane crash in north Brazil kills 7

2011-04-22 06:21:39 GMT+7 (ICT)

MANAUS, BRAZIL (BNO NEWS) -- A small twin-engine aircraft on Thursday afternoon crashed in the northern region of Brazil and killed all seven people on board, officials said.

According to the Brazilian Company of Airport Infrastructure, the crash occurred at around 3 p.m. local time, shortly after the aircraft took off from the Eduardo Gomes International Airport, just west of Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas.

The twin-engine Seneca, model PA34, was operated by Amazonaves Air Taxi and was headed toward Santarem, Para. Piloted by company owner Antonio Neto Picao, the small aircraft was carrying three men, three women, and a child, all of them from the same family.

The plane crashed near the airport's runway and debris were scattered outside the airport area. Brazil's Mobile Emergency Service and Fire Department teams arrived quickly at the scene. Following the accident, airport operations were suspended, and the crash scene was cordoned off as search and rescue teams continue to work.

The causes of the accident are still uncertain.

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