More than 50 may die in Indonesian plane crash

Indonesian rescuers stand near a crashed military airplane as they seach for victims in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, June 30, 2015. [Photo/IC]

JAKARTA - An official at Medan chapter of Indonesia's Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) said on Tuesday that the death toll from the crash of C-130 Hercules in the capital of North Sumatra province Medan may rise as people on board the ill-fated plane were more than 55.

"The death toll continues to rise, not only 30 as the plane's manifest document says 55 people on board," an official at Basarnas Medan chapter Hisar Turnip told Xinhua by phone. He feared that the death toll will continue to rise as the plane also hit several houses on the ground with many civilians were still inside those houses.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Adam Malik state hospital received 30 bodies from the crash site of which five were the crews of the plane.

The crash of C-130 Hercules plane occurred at noon, two minutes after the plane departed from Polonia airport located in Medan's downtown area. The plane crashed in a housing cluster and business district around Jamin Ginting road, Padang Bulan area near the airport.

The plane was loaded with logistic supplies, to be transferred to Indonesia's Natuna island. Besides carrying the military supplies, some civilians intending to go to Natuna island was allegedly on board.

The plane, manufactured in 1964, among 28 ones operated by Indonesian air forces, initially departed from its base in Malang, East Java at 11:48 a.m. local time.