LOS ANGELES, Oct 24 (AFP) - A small medical airplane crashed shortly after take off in southern California early Sunday, killing all five people on board, the jet's operator said.
The jet plunged into mountainous terrain at 1:30 am (0730 GMT) shortly after taking off from an airport in San Diego, near the Mexican border, Med Flight Air Ambulance Inc. said in a statement.
The Learjet was not carrying any patients, but its two pilots and three medical staff died in the crash, the company said. The plane was returning to its base in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The cause of the crash, which occurred two miles (3.2 kilometers) east of the small airport, was unknown. Air traffic control lost radio and radar contact with the aircraft's pilots about one minute into the flight.
A San Diego police helicopter was unable to land at the crash site because of the rugged terrain, the medical transport company said. Sheriff's officers had to walk for three hours to reach the airplane.
10/24/2004 21:00 GMT - AFP