A small aircraft conducting a surveillance mission over the Mediterranean for France's defence ministry crashed on take-off in Malta on Monday, killing all five people on board, reports CBC News.
The ministry declined to say what the purpose of the surveillance operation was. Airport officials said the plane had been heading for Misrata in Libya, where some Western powers have sent small teams of special forces to support the new United Nations-backed unity government in its fight against militants.
The twin-prop Fairchild Metroliner went down near the runway of the southern Mediterranean island nation's main airport in the morning, sending smoke billowing into the sky.
Malta International Airport was closed for several hours.
On board were three French defence ministry officials and two pilots, who were also French.
France's defence ministry and Luxembourg-based CAE Aviation, which operated the plane, said the five died. CAE said it was an accident but gave no details.
"A light reconnaissance aircraft ... carrying out surveillance operations over the Mediterranean for the defence ministry crashed this morning at 0630 at Malta's Luqa airport, during take-off," defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.
The French daily Le Monde wrote that the defence ministry officials belonged to France's intelligence services.