South Africans killed as plane 'runs out of fuel'

A group of South Africans who were killed in a plane crash in the central Mozambican city of Beira were in the country to identify business opportunities, the state controlled Notícias newspaper said in a report on Monday.

The report identified four of the victims as Louisa Suzana, Daniel Johane, Wilson Zao and Michel Paul, who were aboard the Durban registered commercial plane which crash landed in Beira on Saturday.

On Sunday national television channel Televisão de Moçambique said the accident occurred when the plane allegedly ran out of fuel.

But, Notícias quoted director of Beira International airport, Antonio Tito, as saying that a commission of inquiry had been set up to determine the cause of the crash.

Tito told the paper that the pilot had lost contact with the airport control tower, suggesting the plane had run into problems.

The plane was supposed to have landed at Beira International Airport at 2.36pm on Saturday but it crash landed in Palmeiras, a densely populated suburb of the city near the Indian Ocean. - Sapa