Indonesian military transport plane crashes in Medan; 5 dead
By Associated Press
Jun 30, 2015 1:52 AM CDT

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — An Indonesian air force Hercules C-130 plane with 12 crew aboard has crashed into a residential neighborhood in the country's third-largest city Medan. A hospital official said at least five people were killed.

Adam Malik hospital spokeswoman Sairi M. Saragih said Tuesday the hospital had received five bodies so far.

Air force operations commander Agus Dwi Putranto said on local television there were 12 crew members on the plane. The total number of passengers on board was unknown.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

An Indonesian air force Hercules C-130 plane with 12 crew aboard crashed Tuesday into a residential neighborhood in Medan, the country's third largest city.

There was no immediate word of casualties but a local radio station, El Shinta, reported that the plane hit houses. Indonesian television broadcast images from the city of a downed aircraft in flames.

Air force spokesman Dwi Badarmanto said the crash occurred not long before midday and just minutes after the plane took off from a Medan airport. A rescue effort was underway, he said.

Air force operations commander Agus Dwi Putranto said on local television there were 12 crew members on the plane. The total number of passengers on board was unknown.

It is the second time in 10 years that an air plane has crashed into a Medan neighborhood. In September 2005, a Mandala Airlines Boeing 737 crashed shortly after takeoff from Medan's Polonia airport, into a crowded residential community, killing 143 people including 30 on the ground.

Medan, with about 3.4 million people, is the third most populous city in Indonesia after the capital Jakarta and Surabaya.