A passenger aircraft has crashed in French Polynesia and killed at least 14 people, French authorities in Papeete said.
Another six are missing after an Air Moorea aircraft with 19 passengers and a pilot on board crashed after taking off from Temae airport in Moorea Island, en route to the local capital Papeete, a short flight away.
The plane, a De Havilland Twin Otter aircraft, veered to the right after take off for the short flight to the main island of Tahiti and crashed into the ocean at around 12.15 pm local time yesterday.
Aviation authorities said weather conditions were clear. The plane came down one mile from the coast near fishermen, who tried to help those on board, Air Moorea said.
Police said 14 bodies had been recovered including that of the pilot, and all but two of the victims were French. Air Moorea said all 20 people aboard the aircraft were feared killed.
Moorea is one of around 118 islands scattered across an area the size of Europe in the South Pacific that make up France's overseas territory of French Polynesia.