Plane carrying humanitarian aid crashes in Guatemala, killing 2

GUATEMALA CITY. KAZINFORM - At least two people were killed on Sunday when a small plane airlifting food to victims of tropical storm Eta crashed, the Municipal Firefighters of Guatemala City said, Xinhua reports.

The plane crashed around noon, minutes after taking off from the capital's La Aurora International Airport on its way to the northern department of Alta Verapaz.

One body was discovered at the site of the accident and another victim died after being taken to a local hospital. One of the deceased was identified as the pilot.

«We were able to rescue a person who was on the plane and was transferred to the Guatemalan Social Security Institute... with first, second and third degree burns, in an extremely critical condition,» said Gerardo Martinez, spokesperson for the Municipal Firefighters.

The accident forced the closure of a vehicular crossing in Zone 9 of the Guatemalan capital, where the wreckage of the aircraft fell.

The causes of the crash are still unknown.