Military Hercules plane explodes in ball of flames in Medan, Indonesia

AN Indonesian air force Hercules C-130 plane with 12 crew aboard crashed into a residential neighbourhood in the country"s third-largest city Medan.

A hospital official said at least five people were killed.

Indonesian television broadcast images from the city of a downed aircraft in flames, crumpled vehicles and a partially destroyed building.

Dramatic pictures on social media showed large crowds and emergency services gathering around the flaming wreckage, with the fuselage of the aircraft visible among thick plumes of black smoke.

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

It was unclear how many people were aboard the plane. Air force operations commander Agus Dwi Putranto said on local television there were 12 crew members.

The crash of the Hercules occurred not long before midday and just minutes after the transport plane took off from Soewondo air force base.

Air force chief, Air Marshal Agus Priatna, told MetroTV that the plane, in service since 1964, might have suffered a technical problem. He said the pilot had asked to retu to Soewondo, but the plane then tued right and crashed two minutes after take-off, hitting a building.

"I saw the plane from the direction of the airport and it was tilting already, then I saw smoke billowing,” local resident Januar, 26, told AFP, only giving his first name.He said the plane crashed into a newly built residential area, although it was unclear whether it was occupied yet. Police had cordoned off the area.

"A Hercules was ... transporting military logistics from Medan,” military spokesman Fuad Basya told AFP.

The plane took off 12:08pm (0508 GMT) from an air force base and crashed in the city about two minutes later about five kilometres from the base, he said.

"We have asked our search and rescue office in Medan to immediately go to the site for evacuation of any victims.”