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Catastrophe

Deadly plane crash outside Portugal supermarket

April 17, 2017

Five people have died after an airplane crashed into the car park of a supermarket near the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, according to local media. Reports said that the aircraft exploded in the air, shortly after takeoff.

https://p.dw.com/p/2bLd6
Portugal Fünf Tote bei Absturz eines Kleinflugzeugs in Lissabon
Image: Reuters/R. Marchante

The light aircraft reportedly landed on a delivery truck next to a supermarket in the town of Tires shortly after noon local time on Monday.

Rescue workers reported five fatalities, including the Swiss pilot and three French passengers. A truck driver, who was delivering goods to the cargo bay of the Lidl supermarket, was also killed.

The plane - which was headed for the French city of Marseille - took off from a the Cascais Aerodrome just outside Tires, which lies some 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) west of Lisbon. It was only said to have flown about 2 kilometers (a little over a mile) when it hit the ground.

Karte Portugal Tires Flugzeugunglück

At least one witness said the plane had exploded in midair.

Several vehicles caught fire, with a large plume of smoke sent rising into the air. The plane is believed to have been registered in Switzerland. 

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa visited to the site, which was also attended by more than 50 rescue workers.

rc/msh (Reuters, AFP, AP)