At least five people were killed on Wednesday when a US military plane crashed in Georgia, officials said.
A U.S. Air National Guard cargo plane crashed on a busy highway about a mile away from the Savannah airport, but did not hit any cars, a spokesperson for the Effingham County Sherriff’s Office announced.
Black smoke rose from the crash site. Firefighters later put out the blaze.
The plane was identified as a C-130 from the 156th Airlift Wing based in Carolina, Puerto Rico. It was being used for a training mission when it crashed, the National Guard said.
Capt. Jeff Bezore, a spokesman for the Georgia Air National Guard’s 165th Air Wing, said the crash killed at least five people, adding that the identities of those on the plane would be released upon notification to their next of kin.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known.
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21:09
A C-130 Hercules aircraft went down near Savanah Hilton Head International Airport soon after takeoff, according to media reports, citing authorities, APA reports quoting sputniknews.
At least two people were killed in the incident, the WJLA media outlet reported citing the Chatham County Emergency Management Agency.
The incident occurred at around 11 am on Wednesday. The aircraft crashed at the intersection of Highway 21 and Crossgate Road, with both roads now closed, according to the WSAV 3 media outlet.
The press service of the United States Air Force said in a comment to Sputnik that the crashed plane belonged to the National Guard, providing no further details.
"Yes, we can confirm it. It was an Air Force National Guard (airplane). That’s all we know," a US Air Force press desk spokesperson said.
Medical crews and rescuers are rushing to the scene.
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