A PLANE carrying “dangerous materials” burst into flames before crashing in a huge fireball explosion on a mountainside in Greece.
The aircraft – operated by a Ukraine-based air carrier – had eight crew members on board when came into trouble near the city of Kavala.
The plane crashed into a mountainside in Greece[/caption]
A huge fireball erupted following the smash[/caption]
The pilot had requested an emergency landing due to a problem with one of the four engines – but its signal was lost.
Video footage uploaded on ertnews.gr showed the aircraft in flames descending fast before hitting the ground in what appeared to be an explosion.
People close to the crash site told local media how they saw a fireball and heard a series of explosions after the crash.
According to reports, the jet was carrying weapons to Ukraine.
But others claim the plane was being used by the Serbian Army to transport “dangerous goods” – thought to be chemicals, hazardous waste and potentially explosives.
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State TV Ert reported that the plane was an Antonov An-12 owned by a Ukrainian company, which was flying from Serbia to Jordan.
The fire service said it had deployed 15 firefighters and seven engines to put out the blaze that broke out after the crash, with more on their way.
A major search and rescue operation has been launched, and the area has been cordoned off because of the possible “dangerous materials” on board.
As it plummeted to the ground, the plane cut through power cables – causing a general power outage in the surrounding area.
