China says 4 killed in crash of marine surveillance plane

BEIJING – China’s State Oceanic Administration said four officers were killed when a marine surveillance plane crashed into a mountain along the country’s east coast.

The accident occurred Tuesday during a routine mission to monitor conditions in Zhejiang province whose coastline is dotted with hundreds of islands, the administration said in a statement on its website.

The type of plane was not identified, although the China Marine Surveillance agency operates aircraft including helicopters and the Chinese-made Harbin Y-12 turboprop.

The agency is one of four under the State Oceanic Administration used to patrol and carry out law enforcement missions along China’s vast coastline, as well as in waters claimed China in the South China and East China Seas.

The administration said the wreckage was found early Tuesday evening after a search involving 18 ships and four helicopters. Two pilots and two enforcement officers were killed.