22 dead in Ecuador military plane crash

Quito: A military aircraft crashed in the Ecuadorian province of Pastaza, killing all 22 soldiers on board, military sources said. A statement from Ecuador’s army says the 19 parachutists on board the Israeli-made Arava cargo plane were carrying out training exercises when the aircraft crashed Tuesday about 145 kilometers (90 miles) southeast of the capital.

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa confirmed the crash on his official Twitter on Tuesday, saying there were no survivors, Xinhua news agency reported.

"A military plane has crashed in Pastaza with 22 passengers," “A solidarity hug to family members and our armed forces. This is a tragedy”, the president said.