A light plane has crashed into the roof of a shopping mall in Australia, claiming the lives of five people, including four Americans.
Victoria State police assistant commissioner Stephen Leane said the twin-turboprop Beechcraft King Air plane suffered engine failure and crashed into the mall near the end of the runway at Essendon Airport outside Melbourne on Tuesday.
All the five victims were on board the plane. The crash occurred nearly an hour before the Direct Factory Outlet shopping mall was due to open.
The US Embassy in Canberra confirmed that four victims were US nationals.
“The US Embassy in Canberra and US Consulate in Melbourne are working closely with local authorities. We stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance to the families of the victims,” the embassy said in statement.
The plane was headed to King Island in Bass Strait between the Australian mainland and the southern island state of Tasmania.
