A cargo plane broke in two during takeoff at Brussels Zaventem airport on Sunday and no casualties have been reported, Belgian news agency Belga said.
The four-engine Boeing 747, which belongs to Kalita Air, had five people on board, airport spokeswoman Tru Lefevere said.
"There are no injuries even though the five people on board have been taken to hospital," Lefevere said.
The crash had not disrupted air traffic at the airport, she added.
Jan Van der Cruysse, an official from the airport, said four of the crew members suffered slight injuries, adding the plane "is very seriously damaged."
Francis Vermeiren, mayor of the nearby town of Zaventem, confirmed the crash, but denied that the plane was on fire after crack. "The plane is not on fire, but it has split into two," he told VRT radio.
The mayor said the pilot reported large noise while trying to take off from the runway. It was still unclear what's the cause of the crack and what goods the Bahrain-bound flight was carrying.
Airport authorities said the fire brigade were on the scene and an emergency plan was being implemented.
Vermeiren said the firefighters sprayed special fire retardant on the wings of the plane to prevent possible fire or explosion as the plane was full of jet fuel.
However, the accident happened on a runway close to a rail line and rail services to the airport have been suspended as a precaution measure.
Source:Xinhua
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