Rescuers in the Comoros raced to find survivors after a plane carrying 14 people crashed on Saturday in the Indian Ocean archipelago.
AB Aviation said its small Cessna plane vanished from radar about 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles) from its destination during a flight between Moroni and Fomboni on the island of Moheli.

“Search operations… have begun to locate the aircraft’s debris in the coastal area of Djoiezi, confirming the crash,” said the Comorian transport ministry in a statement.

According to the Comorian government, the 12 passengers were Comorians, and the two pilots were Tanzanians.

According to senior police officer Abdel-Kader Mohamed, three speedboats were dispatched to the estimated crash site “to collect debris from the plane and objects belonging to the passengers.”

“We’ll resume our search tomorrow. There is still hope as long as no bodies have been discovered “He continued.

Support ads are being distributed to affected families on Moheli and Moroni’s island of Grande Comore.

“I’m out of options. We’ll begin mourning my sister’s death tomorrow “In Moroni, Idi Boina, 55, whose sister was one of the passengers, told AFP.

The authorities stated that they had requested assistance from the neighbouring French territory of Mayotte.