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© Michael MacSweeney/Rex FeaturesEmergency crews at the scene of the crash at Cork Airport, Ireland.
Six people have died and six others were injured after a plane travelling from Belfast crashed while landing in fog at Cork airport.

Confirmation of the fatalities came from a Cork county council spokesman, while unconfirmed reports said the death toll could be as high as eight. There were 12 people on board the small turboprop commuter plane, which crashed on the pilot's third attempt at landing. It is believed to be on fire near the runway.

The Irish Aviation Authority confirmed the crash happened at 9.51am on runway 17, but said the number of fatalities or injured were still unknown.

"[The plane] had been trying to land in foggy conditions. This was its third attempt to land," an IAA spokeswoman said.

It is understood debris from the wreckage has been scattered over a wide area of the runway.

A Garda Síochána spokesman said gardai, fire crews and ambulances from across the city and county were responding.

The flight was operated by the Isle of Man-based company Manx2.com, which took over the Belfast to Cork route from Aer Arann last year.

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