At least seven people have been killed after a small plane crashed into a house in north of the Philippine capital on Saturday, said officials and media.
The Piper 23 Apache twin-engine aircraft, operated by Lite Air Express, had just taken off from a small nearby airport, said Eric Apolonio, spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).
News agency Reuters reported quoting the spokesman that the plane was carrying six people, including two pilots, and was en route to Laoag in north-western Luzon.
Seven people, including the six people on board, were killed, radio station dZMM and CNN Philippines reported.
All aircraft operated by Lite Air Express were grounded pending investigations, Apolonio said.
“Investigation revealed that the said aircraft took off at the runway of Plaridel Airport but unluckily crashed at the residential area,” Philippine police spokesman Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao said in a text message.
Police and the CAAP did not give details on the number of casualties.