Plane crashes near Turkey-Syria border, says official

A plane has crashed in the countryside near Turkey's border with Syria, with preliminary information suggesting the aircraft belonged to Syria, a Turkish official says.

Hatay province governor Erdal Ata told state-run Anadolu news agency that it was "likely" a military aircraft, but that there was no airspace violation and no intervention by Turkish forces, adding that it might have been a technical problem.

Rescue teams have been sent to the area.

Private Dogan news agency reported nearby villagers had called authorities reporting a crash at around 6.30pm local time Saturday. They also told authorities that the pilots had allegedly ejected before the crash.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told reporters that "we have information that a MIG model plane belonging to the Syrian regime" had crashed near the town of Samandag.

Mr Ata said rescue teams had arrived at the wreckage and reported that the cockpit was empty.

Ahmed Karaali, spokesman for the opposition military group Ahrar al-Sham, told Anadolu that they shot the plane down because it was bombing the countryside in the north-western Syrian town of Idlib.