Four dead as plane crashes into sea

Four people have been killed when a propeller-engine cargo plane crashed in the sea near the international airport in Ivory Coast's main city during a thunderstorm.

Six more passengers were injured - two seriously - in the crash which left the broken into several pieces after coming to a rest near the beach.

Rescuers were hampered by rough seas.

The four dead and six injured were confirmed by the chairman of the airport's management.

The crash occurred near the Aeroport Felix Houphouet Boignyr Airport in Abidjan during a storm with heavy rain and lightning.

The aircraft was reportedly a propeller engine Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane chartered by the French army.

Pictures from the scene on social media show the plane appearing to be broken into pieces in the waves.

Emergency services officials can be seen on the beach looking at the wreckage.

Though the airport is located in a heavily populated area, it did not appear there were any victims on the ground.

The name of the company operating the aircraft was not immediately known.

The airport in Abidjan, a city of around 5 million people, is a busy regional transportation hub.

It is also used by the French military which operates a logistics base there in support of an anti-Islamist militant operation in West Africa's Sahel region.