5 killed as amphibian plane hits bridge in Shanghai

Five people were killed when an amphibian plane hit a bridge in Shanghai on Wednesday, a local hospital said.

The B-10FW plane, carrying 10 people, was on its maiden flight from Shanghai's Jinshan District to Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province, when it hit the bridge around midday.

The five fatalities died in hospital, one person with serious injuries is undergoing surgery, and four others sustained injuries, which were not life threatening, according to a doctor with Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University.

Rescuers are retrieve the wreckage from the water.

According to Shanghai municipal government information office, the plane is owned by AVIC Joy General Aviation Co. Ltd., an affiliate of the Aviation Industry Corp. of China.

It is the first amphibian plane operator approved to carry passengers in east China. Its business scope includes medical rescue, aviation exploration, air tours, private and commercial pilot training, aviation photography, air advertising and charter flights.

(APD)