Five killed as seaplane hits bridge in Shanghai

A nine-seater hydroplane aircraft, B-10FW from Joy General Aviation is craned out of the water after crashing into a bridge in Shanghai, China. EPA

SHANGHAI // A seaplane crashed into a bridge on the edge of Shanghai on Wednesday, killing at least five people.

The plane, owned by charter airline Joy General Aviation, was taking off on a demonstration flight with 10 people on board including the crew, when it hit a motorway bridge in Jinshan district, Shanghai media platform The Paper reported.

Five were killed, it said, without detailing the number of injured. Photos posted online showed the plane with its nose on the bridge and its tail on the water.

The Shanghai Daily reported that those on board included the pilot, co-pilot, and journalists reporting on the flight.

The operator, which flies from a base in the nearby province of Zhejiang, bills itself as the first aviation company to widely use seaplanes in China. It offers short flights for tourists to nearby islands as well as sightseeing tours.

The plane was identified by local media as a Cessna 208B, in a variation that uses floats in place of landing gear for use on water.

Textron Aviation, make of Cessna aircraft, confirmed an incident had occurred.

“Textron Aviation is aware there was an incident today at Jinshan, Shanghai involving a Joy Air-operated Cessna aircraft,” it said in a statement.

“The safety of pilots, passengers and the community is our highest concern. We are closely monitoring the situation and will maintain contact with the relevant parties.”

* Agence France-Presse