41.   Airport ground staff noticed the left engine on fire and radioed the pilots to turn back, military spokesman Sarath Munasinghe said.

42.   APP quoted the pilot as saying the plane went out of control due to a problem with the left engine.

43.   The plane crashed when its left engine caught fire, according to chief of the rescue team Rusliansyah.

44.   Sarath Munasinghe ruled out the Avro being hit by the rebels and said airport ground staff noticed the left engine on fire and radioed the pilots to turn back.

45.   The left engine was shredded, with broken chunks scattered all along the runway, officials said.

46.   The plane crashed when its left engine caught fire just after take-off, according to chief of the rescue team Rusliansyah.