A cargo plane flying from Hong Kong has crashed in Kyrgyzstan, killing at least 37 people.

Most of those killed were on the ground.

The Boeing 747 TC-MCL aircraft crashed as it landed amid fog at Manas airport, 25 kilometres north of the capital, Bishkek.

At least 15 buildings were destroyed in a village outside the airport.

The plane was operated by Turkish carrier ACT Airlines.

Flight TK6491 was to have stopped at Manas en route to Istanbul in Turkey.

ACT is an Istanbul-based airline operating under the name MyCargo.

A statement from the company read: “Our TC-MCL signed plane, flying on January 16th from Hong Kong to Bishkek, crashed on landing at Bishkek at the end of the runway for an unknown reason.”

The plane came down shortly after 07:30 in the village of Dacha-Suu.