MUMBAI

A chartered plane crashed near Jagruti building in Ghatkopar, Mumbai where a construction work was going on, killing at least 5, and injuring two others.

Bodies of two pilots, two Aircraft Maintenance Engineers on board and one person on ground have been recovered.

Eyewitnesses said the plane was seen hurtling down and crashed with a deafening roar before bursting into flames around 1.15 p.m. There were four people on board.

Rescue officials who rushed to site said four bodies had been recovered from the smoking plane’s wreckage.

A passerby in the vicinity of the crash was burnt fatally when some burning fuel from the aircraft fell on him, said an eyewitness who was among the first to reach the spot.

As per preliminary information, the aircraft was on a test flight and had taken off from the Juhu Airport minutes before it crashed.
The cause of the crash is not known. It occurred in an under construction building premises, averting what could have been a major disaster.

According to information available from sources, the aircraft belongs to Mumbai-based company, U Y Aviation Pvt Ltd and is owned by gutkha baron Dipak Kothari, and earlier belonged to the UP government.