Six people including a pilot were killed when a South African airplane crash in Zambia's Southern province Thursday afternoon, the air force has confirmed.

Lieutenant general C. Chigeta, chief of operation of the Zambian Air Force, said the plane crashed near Zimba, a town about 70 km to the northeast of Livingstone, Zambia's tourist capital.

"We believe all the people aboard died in the accident. We do not know their nationalities yet," he said.

An earlier report by the South African Press Association (SAPA)said the charter plane had been involved in some kind of accident before landing at Livingstone airport.

"The wreckage was located. All people on board have perished ...There were five passengers and one pilot," the report said, quoting Chilu Kabalika, director of Civil Aviation in Zambia.

"I have been advised that the people are not South Africans. Wecould not establish the passengers' names yet, but I was told theycame from Malawi and have British names, although I am not sure oftheir nationality," he said.

Source: Xinhua