Plane crash in Libya kills more than 100

A passenger plane has crashed in Libya, killing more than 100 people on board, officials in the capital Tripoli say. The Airbus 330 crashed on landing at Tripoli airport after a flight from Johannesburg, Afriqiyah Airways said. Plane crash in Libya kills more than 100 Sixty-one Dutch nationals were among the 93 passengers, a Dutch tourism official says. A Dutch boy was the sole known survivor, the Libyans say. British and South African passengers are also thought to have been on board. The 11 crew were said to be Libyan. The BBC's transport producer Sue Emmett reports that the airline said the flight had been due to connect in Tripoli with a flight due for London's Gatwick Airport. But the airline emphasised that this would have meant changing planes, our correspondent adds. Some passengers had been due to connect with flights for other European destinations. An airline employee said the 11 crew were all thought to be Libyan nationals. Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office said said it was "aware of reports that there were British nationals on board the flight, but this has not been confirmed". "We are urgently investigating. A consular team from the British Embassy are on their way to the airport. Consular staff in Tripoli are urgently seeking further details," it said. Libya's state TV showed footage of a field scattered with pieces of plane debris, and police and rescuers walking with surgical masks and gloves. The cause of the crash was not immediately known. Some reports suggest the plane crashed very close to the runway. "It exploded on landing and totally disintegrated," a Libyan security official told news agency AFP. A flight recorder has already been recovered, and officials hope this will provide some clues as to what caused the disaster. Speaking at a news conference near the crash site, Libyan Transport Minister Mohamed Zidan said the Dutch boy was being treated for minor injuries. However, Mr Zidan ruled out terrorism as the cause of the crash. The minister added that the remains of 96 victims had already been recovered. The crash site (Beta/AP)

Plane crash in Libya kills more than 100

Sixty-one Dutch nationals were among the 93 passengers, a Dutch tourism official says. A Dutch boy was the sole known survivor, the Libyans say.

British and South African passengers are also thought to have been on board. The 11 crew were said to be Libyan.

The BBC's transport producer Sue Emmett reports that the airline said the flight had been due to connect in Tripoli with a flight due for London's Gatwick Airport.

But the airline emphasised that this would have meant changing planes, our correspondent adds.

Some passengers had been due to connect with flights for other European destinations.

An airline employee said the 11 crew were all thought to be Libyan nationals.

Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office said said it was "aware of reports that there were British nationals on board the flight, but this has not been confirmed".

"We are urgently investigating. A consular team from the British Embassy are on their way to the airport. Consular staff in Tripoli are urgently seeking further details," it said.

Libya's state TV showed footage of a field scattered with pieces of plane debris, and police and rescuers walking with surgical masks and gloves.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known. Some reports suggest the plane crashed very close to the runway.

"It exploded on landing and totally disintegrated," a Libyan security official told news agency AFP.

A flight recorder has already been recovered, and officials hope this will provide some clues as to what caused the disaster.

Speaking at a news conference near the crash site, Libyan Transport Minister Mohamed Zidan said the Dutch boy was being treated for minor injuries.

However, Mr Zidan ruled out terrorism as the cause of the crash.

The minister added that the remains of 96 victims had already been recovered.