7 killed as small plane crashes in Brazil

Seven people died after a small plane crashed on Sunday in the rural area of Itapeva, a town in southeast Brazil's Minas Gerais state, the state's Fire Department reported.

The department's preliminary report indicates two others may have been on board the aircraft but have yet to be located, reports Xinhua.

Witnesses in the accident area told Brazil's Globo news network that the plane exploded in midair before hitting the ground.

According to residents, at the time of the accident, past 10:30 a.m. local time (1330 GMT), a storm with rain and wind was hitting the area where the plane crashed._Agencies.