Plane crashes into Australian mall killing five

Five people on board a small charter plane were killed on Tuesday when it crashed into a shopping mall in Melbourne, Australia's second largest city, police said.

The twin-turboprop Beechcraft King Air plane, carrying five people, appeared to suffer engine failure after taking off from Essendon Airport and crashed into the mall near the end of the runway.

"There were five people on the aeroplane and it looks like nobody's survived the crash," Victoria state police assistant commissioner Stephen Leane said.

The plane was bound for King Island in Bass Strait between the mainland and the southern island state of Tasmania.

Witnesses told local media that the plane "exploded" on impact.

TRT World spoke to Jarni Blakkarly in Sydney or more details.

The crash took place at around 9 a.m. Melbourne time, about an hour before the mall was due to open. There were no fatalities other than those aboard the aircraft, police said.

Authorities did not immediately release any information about the identity of the casualties.

A spokeswoman for Airservices Australia said flights in and out of Melbourne Airport, the city's main international gateway, were unaffected.

Essendon Airport is used primarily for cargo and light aircraft.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will investigate the crash.