Drugs plane crashes into top banker's estate

Spanish police are investigating a small plane loaded with drugs that crashed into the estate of one of the country’s most prominent bankers today, killing two people on board.

The plane crashed around midday as it tried to land at a private airstrip on the country estate of banker Emilio Botin, Interior Ministry spokesman Maximo Diaz-Cano said.

The plane was carrying 200kg of hashish when it missed the airfield and crashed into a nearby gully, Mr Diaz-Cano said.

A third person has been detained at the 27,180 acre estate, located 143 miles southwest of Madrid.

Police are combing the area in search of other people who might have been involved in the suspected smuggling.

Mr Botin is president of Banco Santander Central Hispano, Spain’s largest bank.