Witness: Plane crashed into power linesSTORY HIGHLIGHTS- Twenty-three people were taken to hospitals, the state governor says
- The aircraft belongs to the government-owned Conviasa airline, an official says
- The plane crashed in southeastern Venezuela
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(CNN) -- Two people were confirmed dead when an airplane carrying at least 47 passengers and crew members crashed Monday morning in southeastern Venezuela, government and hospital officials said.
Twenty-three people were taken to hospitals in the city of Guayana, said Bolivar state Gov. Francisco Rangel Gomez.
Of those 23 people, two died, said Yanitza Rodriguez, director of the Hospital Uyapar. The other 21 people were being treated, she said.
The aircraft belongs to the government-owned Conviasa airline and crashed in Bolivar state, said civil protection official Jose Zamora of the Sidor municipality.
Zamora also said there were survivors.
The plane crashed 12 minutes after takeoff about six miles (10 kilometers) from the airport in Guayana, said Rangel Gomez. Aerial photos show it crashed in an industrial junkyard.
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Best Western hotel clerk Ivan Maradey told CNN he witnessed the crash and saw the plane tumble into some power lines before hitting the ground and exploding.
There were conflicting reports over how many people were aboard.
Francisco Garces, Venezuelan minister of transportation and communication, initially said there were 43 passengers and four crew members.
Rangel Gomez, the Bolivar state governor, said later there were 51 people on board -- 47 passengers and four crew members.
The aircraft was an ATR42, a twin-turboprop, short-haul airplane built in France and Italy, Rangel Gomez said. Conviasa Flight 2350 crashed in an industrial zone in Guayana, the governor said.
The cause of the crash had not been determined and remained under investigation, Rangel Gomez said. He identified the pilot as Ramiro Cardenas.
The officials made their comments on the CNN-affiliate Globovision TV station.