Off the wire
• Mainland opposes Taiwan sabotaging Hong Kong's stability  • Feature: Drought threatens Tanzania's largest wildlife sanctuary  • Algerian boy wins USD 150,000 in UAE reading challenge  • Jordan reiterates support for legitimate gov't in Yemen to restore stability  • China Focus: CPC testing big data app on Party management  • Palestine rejects Israeli defense chief's attempts to find new peace partner  • Indonesia's loan growth expected to rise in 2017: c. bank  • Pokemo Go wins award from Finland's Outdoor Association  • China offers aid to typhoon-hit Philippines  • Indonesia to evaluate regeneration mechanism after failures in Denmark Open  
You are here: 　 Home

France confirms death of five people in aircraft crash in Malta

Xinhua, October 24, 2016 Adjust font size:

French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Monday confirmed that an aircraft had crashed at Malta International Airport killed all five French people on board.

"The plane crash caused the death of three French defense ministry officials and two private contractors," Le Drian said in a statement.

The plane was on a surveillance mission over the Mediterranean, he added, without elaborating.

The ministry will conduct an inquiry "to determine the causes of the accident in coordination with local authorities," according to the French minister.

A light aircraft crashed at around 7:20 a.m. local time (0620 GMT) shortly after take off, according to media reports. Endit