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Civilian aircraft crashes in Iraq Civilian aircraft crashes in Iraq
(about 2 hours later)
A civilian cargo aircraft has crashed to the south of Falluja, in western Iraq, US officials have said. A civilian cargo aircraft has crashed south of Falluja in central Iraq, almost certainly killing all seven people on board, officials have said.
The cargo plane was carrying four to six people, the US military said, when it crashed because of a "malfunction". It crashed shortly after take-off after a "malfunction", the US military said.
Witnesses said the plane took off from Habbaniya base in Anbar province but was seen in flames before crashing.Witnesses said the plane took off from Habbaniya base in Anbar province but was seen in flames before crashing.
There was no word on whether the crew of the plane survived the crash. Their nationalities were also unknown, the US military said. It was reportedly chartered by a German firm and was not carrying US soldiers or crew, although the nationalities of those on board remained unclear.
"It was a malfunction. It lost radio contact, then it crashed. We have no information on the fate of the crew," a US military spokeswoman said. "It was a malfunction. It lost radio contact, then it crashed. We have no information on the fate of the crew," one US military spokeswoman said.
A damage assessment was being carried out, but it was unlikely that any of the six crew and one baggage handler had survived, another military official said.
"It looks like everybody was lost," he told the Reuters news agency.
Iraqi police told the Associated Press that the plane, which took off near Falluja, crashed in the desert without causing Iraqi casualties.Iraqi police told the Associated Press that the plane, which took off near Falluja, crashed in the desert without causing Iraqi casualties.
The area around Falluja was once a hotbed of Iraq's Sunni insurgency, but there was no suggestion the plane had come under attack before crashing.