Zambia plane crash kills six

A light aircraft crashed in southern Zambia late on Thursday killing five young tourists from Australia and Britain and the pilot, officials said yesterday.

The South African-registered Cessna 210 crashed in Zimba, 460 kilometres south of the capital Lusaka, after developing an engine fault minutes after taking off from Livingstone, Zambia's civil aviation directorate said.

The Canadian pilot, three Australians and two Britons were killed, the directorate said.

The tourists were returning to Lusaka after visiting the Victoria Falls, aviation officials said.

"The aircraft had one pilot and five passengers... they all perished. Names of the victims will be released after the next of kin are informed," the directorate said in a statement.

It said there were no South Africans on board contrary to a report by state radio.