All dead in Brazilian plane crash

A plane crashed and exploded shortly after take-off from Brazil's northeastern city of Recife early on Wednesday, killing all 16 people on board, rescue and air force officials said. The plane, operated by small regional airline Noar Linhas Aereas, which started operations last year, plunged into scrubland near a highway after taking-off for its planned journey to another northeastern city, Natal. Television images of the debris showed the charred body of the plane smashed into small pieces and only the tail section partly intact. According to a statement from Brazil's Air Force, the pilot reported mechanical problems shortly after take-off and tried to make an emergency landing on a beach. The plane that crashed was a twin-engine L-410 built by LET Aircraft Industries in the Czech Republic.