At least six people were believed to have died in a plane crash near Johannesburg on Tuesday. The Piper Saratoga propeller plane got into difficulties shortly after take-off from Rand Airport, east of Johannesburg, prompting the pilot to request an emergency landing.
Before reaching the runway, the aircraft, which had set out for the central Free State province, crashed to the ground and burst into flames, radio reports said.
The cause of the accident was unclear.
Take-offs from airports around Johannesburg, which is situated at 1,600 metres above sea level, are always challenging in the southern hemisphere’s summer because the air is thinner.