Ten people were killed as a small plane of the Border Security Force (BSF) crashed near the Delhi airport this morning, soon after take-off.
All on board, including three BSF officers and seven technicians, were killed.
The plane, a Super King aircraft, was flying to Ranchi. Reports suggest it was trying to return after a technical snag was noticed five minutes after take-off.
The crash took place at around 9.50 am, moments after technicians lost contact with ground control.
Sources say the plane hit a wall and landed in a sewage treatment plant. The aircraft burst into flames and was almost completely wrecked. A part of it was submerged.
Thick smoke rose from the debris.
“We saw a plane spiralling down and crashing near the wall where some labourers were working, A labourer was injured,” said a witness.
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma has said that an investigation has been ordered.
Talks in Dhaka between the BSF and its Bangladesh counterpart have been put off because of the crash, say sources.
These aircraft are often used by top officials and ministers. The plane that crashed had senior technicians who were flying to Ranchi to repair a helicopter.
“The tragic news of BSF plane crash near IGI airport in New Delhi is extremely painful. Rushing to the crash site immediately,” Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in a tweet.