Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.- Seven people died, the pilot and four tourists when a small plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Punta Cana Airport 9am Monday, headed to Samana, local media report.
The plane crashed at the Cocotal residential are of the Bavaro-Punta Cana region (east), where firefighters doused the ensuing blaze.
Tourism police local commander Duran Infante said the crash site was cordoned off with five bodies recovered. He said seven people were in the aircraft.
None of the victims have been identified.
Updates:
Four Spaniards, two Brits and one Dominican died.
Plane was headed to Arroyo Barril Airport, Samana.
Punta Cana Civil Defense director Victoriano Guzman said the plane tried to make an emergency landing in the golf course at Cocotal.
Punta Cana Airport’s tower reported it had lost contact with the plane once it took off.