Charted plane by the French Army smashes into the sea off the Ivory Coast after taking off in the thunderstorm

According to the daily mail  and Reuters reports. At least four people died when a 42-year-old Soviet-built cargo aircraft crashed into the ocean moments after leaving Abidjan, capital city of the Ivory Coast.

The aircraft, which was carrying cargo for the French military broke up after crashing onto the beach.

Several members of the crew survived according to reports on local media. The airport management company confirmed that six of the crew were injured with two of them in a serious condition.

Firefighters and rescue divers removed two bodies from the plane, which had broken into several pieces and come to rest near the beach. Two other bodies were visible in the wreckage.

Another witness saw two injured survivors.

The crash occurred during a storm with heavy rain and lightning and rescuers were hampered by rough seas. Though Abidjan’s airport is located in a heavily populated area, it did not appear there were any victims on the ground.

The name of the company operating the aircraft was not immediately known.

The airport in Abidjan, a city of around 5 million people, is a busy regional transportation hub. It is also used by the French military which operates a logistics base there in support of an anti-Islamist militant operation in West Africa’s Sahel region.

Courtesy : daily mail  and Reuters