Cargo plane crashes in Russia

MOSCOW -- An An-12 cargo plane crashed en route from Novosibirsk to Irkutsk in Russia's Southern Siberia, killing at least five crew members onboard, local emergency authorities said Thursday.

"The plane en route from Novosibirsk Yeltsovka airport (in Southern Siberia) crashed during landing in Irkutsk-2 airport," an official in the emergency service of the Siberian Federal District told the Interfax news agency.

There were at least five crew members onboard the plane which belongs to an aircraft plant. They all likely have perished in the incident which took place at about 16:38 Moscow time (1238 GMT) in the territory of an army unit near the Batareinaya station of the East Siberian Railway, the emergency authorities in Irkutsk said.

Firefighters and rescuers are on their way to the scene. The cause of the crash is yet to be determined.