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Military plane crash kills five in Myanmar

Wednesday, 10 February 2016 1:57 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 10 February 2016 1:56 PM ]

Myanmar army officials inspect the wreckage of a military passenger plane that crashed in a field near the airport in the capital, Naypyidaw, February 10, 2016. (AFP)

At least five military personnel were killed in Myanmar Wednesday when a small air force propeller plane crashed shortly after taking off from the airport in the capital, Naypyitaw.

The plane, which was believed to be on a routine patrol, went down in a rice field about a mile from the airport during the early hours of the day.

The Myanmar army identified the dead passengers as one major, two captains and two corporals. There were no survivors in the crash.

Myanmar’s Ministry of Information has published a series of pictures showing plumes of smoke rising into the air following the plane crash.

The military also confirmed in a statement that the aircraft burst into flames soon after smashing into the nearby field. Rescuers and firefighters extinguished the fire soon after arriving at the scene.

The photo shows a military officer standing by the wreckage of a Myanmar military aircraft that crashed near the airport in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, February 10, 2016. (AP photo)

“Naypyidaw airport authorities, the fire brigade, air force personnel and local residents all worked together to extinguish the fire,” the statement read.

There have been several incidents involving commercial planes across Myanmar in recent years. However, news of military air crashes has been relatively rare.

In July last year, a plane carrying nearly 50 passengers skidded off the runway after landing during heavy rain at the Yangon International Airport.

Myanmar has a busy aviation sector, partly to compensate for the country’s poor road and rail infrastructure.

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