At least 1 dead and 20 wounded in plane crash in Pretoria

"We have a dead man in the cockpit. We do not know if it is the pilot or an engineer, "said Pretoria Municipality spokesman Johan Pieterse.

" The aircraft had 19 people on board Including the pilot and the engineer, and "we have about 20 seriously and severely injured patients," including two on the ground, he added. The aircraft crashed on a small factory.

ER 24 also confirmed the death of a person in the accident.

The accident occurred near the Wonderboom Airport, Pretoria.

The accident aircraft was destined for an aviation amusement park in the Netherlands, the Aviodrome, near Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport. [19659005] The aircraft, a Convair 340 twin-engine, which can carry 44 passengers, was built in 1954 in the United States.

"We are deeply shocked that the Convair 340, the aircraft we were to welcome soon to Aviodrome, crashed in South Africa at the time of takeoff for a test flight, "said the Aviodrome on its Facebook page.

" The authorities are on the spot and focus on helping "to bring to the victims , added the amusement center.

We do not know for the moment what happened. All we know is that shortly after take off the plane had problems and crashed, "said AFP Rosella Passier, commercial service Aviodrome.

The plane was expected on July 23 at the Dutch Lelystad airport, about 60 km east of Amsterdam.

The cabin of the plane, which was cut in half, is named after the company MAC (Martin's Air Charter ), according to photos of the accident posted on social networks

The South African Civil Aviation Authority dispatched investigators to the scene, where ambulances were still active at dusk.