Brazilian air crash kills 16

AN AIRPLANE crashed and exploded shortly after take-off from Brazil’s northeastern city of Recife early yesterday, killing all 16 people on board, rescue and air force officials said.

The plane, operated by small regional airline Noar Linhas Aereas, plunged into scrubland near a highway after taking off for the city of Natal.

Television images of the debris showed the charred body of the plane smashed into small pieces and only the tail section partly intact.