Military plane crashes into mountain in Cuba 'killing everyone on board'

  • Antonov An-26 aircraft came down near the western province of Pinar Del Rio
  • The crash reportedly killed all eight people on board the AeroGaviota flight
  • Area 'difficult to access by land' meaning rescuers are struggling to reach scene 

A military plane has crashed in Cuba reportedly killing everyone on board.

The Antonov An-26 aircraft owned by Cuban airline AeroGaviota came down near the western province of Pinar Del Rio just 50 miles from the capital Havana. 

The area where the plane came down is known as Las Lomas de San Cristóbal that is 'difficult to access by land'.

Reports suggest that eight people on board died in the crash.

The plane that crashed was an Antonov An-26 aircraft owned by Cuban airline AeroGaviota, similar to this one (stock photo)

The plane that crashed was an Antonov An-26 aircraft owned by Cuban airline AeroGaviota, similar to this one (stock photo)

The turboprop plane is thought to have taken off from the country's Baracoa Airport which regularly offers domestic flights.

The Cuban News Agency reported: 'The eight military personnel on board, including the crew, died.

'A commission of the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces is investigating the causes of the accident.'

In 2002 four Britons were among 16 people who died when a light aircraft crashed in Cuba.

The plane, an Antonov AN-2 operated by the state airline Aerotaxi, went down near the city of Santa Clara, about 160 miles east of the capital Havana.

The aircraft had been on a round-trip from Cienfuegos on Cuba's southern coast and the island resort of Cayo Coco, in the north.

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