Five people have been killed in a plane crash at Malta International Airport.

Three French defence officials are believed to have been killed, along with two others, when a surveillance plane crashed shortly after take-off.

The light aircraft was setting off on a mission over the Mediterranean.

It nosedived on take-off, crashing in a ball of flames at 05:20 GMT.

Malta said the flight had been part of a French operation to track illicit trafficking of people and drugs.

The Maltese government said the flight had been due to return to the island within hours without landing in third countries.

All of the victims’ remains have been found, the Maltese government added.