A Chilean Air Force plane has been pictured in flames after it crashed as a huge search operation is launched to find the two pilots. The Pillán T-35 aircraft came down on Wednesday morning in Chile's Coquimbo region after reportedly suffering an engine failure while flying north through the country.

Local media reported the plane had taken off from El Bosque Air Base in Santiago and was heading towards Antofagasta when it got into difficulty around 20 miles from La Serena. Dramatic images from the scene showed the aircraft engulfed in flames after crashing in El Maray, a town in the Quebrada Honda region.

Emergency services rushed to the area amid fears for those on board, with multiple rescue teams deployed to locate the aircraft and its crew.

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