国际英语新闻：18 killed as cargo plane crashes in residential area in Karachi, Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- At least 18 people were killed as a Russian-made IL76 cargo plane crashed in a residential area near the Karachi airport in southern Pakistan early Sunday morning, reported local TV channel Express.

According to the report, there were eight people on board when the plane crashed two minutes after it took off from the Karachi airport at 1:45 am (local time) Sunday morning. The plane was on its way to Sudan, said the report.

Though only eight people were said to be on board, the casualties could be larger than imagined as the plane crashed in a residential area named Gulshan-E-Jamal near the Karachi airport, the report said.

Four buildings have reportedly been destroyed as the plane crashed in the afore-said residential area.

Six people on board are said to be Pakistanis while the pilot and co-pilot are foreigners, whose nationality is yet to be determined.

A loud explosion was heard as the plane crashed, said a report, adding that huge fire and smoke are seen on the crash site.

The rescue team has been dispatched to the crash site shortly after the tragedy took place and so far at least one body has been recovered from the crash site.

Sunday's plane crash is the third of its kind over the last four months in Pakistan. On July 28, an Airbus passenger plane crashed in the Margalla Hills of Pakistan's capital Islamabad, killing all the 152 people on board. This is the largest aviation disaster ever reported in the country over the past 18 years.

In October, a small passenger plane carrying over 20 people crashed near the Karachi airport due to the engine failure. None of the people on board survived in the plane crash.