Plane crashes in Philippines capital

The crash of a light aircraft in a residential area of the Philippines capital Manila kills at least one person.

A light aircraft crashed and exploded in a residential area of the Philippines capital Manila on Thursday, killing at least one person, witnesses and radio reports said.

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It was not immediately clear how many people were aboard the Cessna plane, which crashed into a vacant lot in the neighbourhood of Merville village in southern Manila, officials said.

Julius Porlas, whose house was several meters away from the crash site, said he saw the plane nose-dive and it "exploded upon hitting the ground."

"It was burning and at least one body was retrieved," Porlas told a local radio station.

"I ran to the site but there was no chance for me to help because it was engulfed by fire," he said.

Air Transportation Office chief Nilo Jatico said crash investigators were sent to secure the crash site and find out who owned or hired the aircraft.

He said there were no other details immediately available.