A Piper PA-31T1 aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from an airport in Venezuela, killing both passengers on board.
According to NDTV, the incident occurred on Wednesday at Paramillo Airport in Tachira state. The twin-engine Piper PA-31T1 took off at 9:52am local time, but just seconds later, it crashed on the runway and exploded.
The National Institute of Civil Aeronautics (INAC) confirmed that rescue operations began almost immediately. However, the aircraft was completely destroyed by the explosion and fire, and the passengers could not be saved.
The report added that, following protocol, the Venezuelan authorities have appointed the Junta Investigadora de Accidentes de Aviación Civil to investigate the crash.
Video footage shows the aircraft briefly gaining a small altitude before losing control and crashing. Preliminary reports suggest a tire may have burst during takeoff, leading to the crash. The exact cause will be determined after the investigation.
Videos shared on social media show thick smoke rising from the airport runway. Flight-tracking site FlightRadar24 noted that the aircraft had previous flights to Panama and Cuba, but on the day of the accident, it was operating within Venezuela.
