In pictures: Belarusian plane crashes in Armenia

A Belarusian passenger plane crashed on takeoff in the Armenian capital of Yerevan at 2:19 a.m. Thursday.

The 18 passengers and three crew members survived the crash, but eight people were taken to hospital with burns and fractures.

The Canadian-built CRJ-100 owned by Belarusian national airline Belavia and bound for Minsk flipped over on the runway at Zvartnots Airport and burst into flames, according to local reports.

According to the Armenian civil aviation department, the pilot complained that the plain was veering to the left seconds ahead of the takeoff. “The crew tried to independently put it straight and decided to continue the takeoff. As far as we know, the plane’s wing touched the runway whet it was four or five meters up in the air and the aircraft flipped over,” Artyom Movsisyan said.

There were at least four Belarusian nationals aboard the plane – three crew members and one passenger.

A delegation of Belarusian experts flew to Armenia on Thursday to investigate the crash.

RIA Novosti Photo/BelaPAN