VALLETTA, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Five people died this morning after the aircraft they were flying in crashed shortly after take-off in Malta International Airport (MIA) at 7:20 am local time (0520 GMT), local media reported.
The aircraft is a twin-prop Metroliner plane leased from Luxembourg by Frontex, the EU's management agency. The plane was heading for Misurata in Libya.
A plane-spotter who witnessed the accident said he was just packing up his equipment when the plane crash-landed shortly after its take-off. "It was an explosion, a right ball of fire," William Farrugia said.
The airplane was seen rising in the air and then immediately landing, and a plume of black smoke suddenly emerged during the landing, a witness said.
All flights at MIA have been canceled due to the accident.
