Over 100 Reported Dead in Milan Airport Collision

By REUTERS
Filed at 5:08 a.m. ET

MILAN - More than 100 people were killed on Monday when a Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) airliner and a small plane collided in heavy fog in Milan's Linate airport, ANSA news agency said.

The agency said airport and investigative sources were unable to give the exact death toll from the accident in which the SAS MD-87 airline, carrying 104 passengers and six crew, hit the airport's baggage handling zone.

Authorities told Reuters that an unknown number of people died in the accident. Police said the SAS plane tried to avoid the small plane, a German Cessna carrying four people, and rammed into a baggage handling zone.

Airport officials said the SAS plane aborted its takeoff at around 8:15 a.m. (0615 GMT) and then hit the baggage area.