One killed, another injured in small plane crash near Kafr Qara, Israel

One person was killed and another seriously injured Friday when a small aircraft crashed near Kafr Qara in northern Israel, Israeli emergency services said.

Israel’s Fire and Rescue Authority and Magen David Adom said the plane crashed and caught fire in an open area near Route 65 and firefighters were called to the scene to fight the fire and assist in the rescue operation.

One person on board the aircraft was found trapped in the wreckage and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The other, a 34-year-old man, was taken to Rambam Medical Centre in Haifa for treatment. After suffering injuries and burns, his condition was reported to be serious.

Police initially closed down Route 65 near the scene of the crash and diverted traffic to other roads. Israeli media reports said the road was reopened later.

It was described as being a light civilian aircraft, although some reports said it could have been an agricultural crop duster. The reason for the crash was not immediately clear.