[Fair use for education and research purpose only]

Title: Three Die in Angola Plane Crash

Story Filed: Sunday, March 26, 2000 9:47 AM EST

LUANDA, Angola (AP) -- A Russian-made plane crashed while attempting to take off from a run-down airport in central Angola, killing three people and injuring 30, news reports said Sunday.

The Antonov-36, bound for the capital Luanda, split in two Saturday after it skidded off the runway and slammed into a hole at the highland city of Huambo, church broadcaster Radio Ecclesia reported.

The plane's brakes failed when it was trying to avoid another hole on the runway, according to the radio.

The injured, among them the Ukrainian crew, were taken to a hospital in Huambo, 330 miles southeast of Luanda.

The identities of the victims were not immediately known.

Civilians and military personnel were aboard the aircraft, the radio said. The total number of passengers was not known, nor was there any information on who owned the plane.

Poor aircraft maintenance during two decades of fighting between the government and UNITA rebels has led to dozens of plane and helicopter crashes in Angola.

Copyright ) 2000 Associated Press Information Services, all rights reserved.

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-- (Dee360Degree@aol.com), March 26, 2000