AFP

Riyadh, Jul 27: Lufthansa airlines said one of its cargo planes was involved in an accident Tuesday in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh and Saudi witnesses and airport officials said it caught fire and crashed on landing.

"The plane's pilot and co-pilot were hospitalized," said al-Arabiya TV. There was no further word on casualties.

The Arab satellite TV channel said the plane split in two on landing after smoke was seen billowing from the aircraft as it approached the airport.

Riyadh airport official Fahd al-Hamoud told The Associated Press that the plane caught fire as it was landing and tore apart into two pieces upon hitting the ground.

Al-Arabiya aired live footage from the airport showing the plane on fire and black smoke billowing into the sky.

"The aircraft is totally finished," an airport ground services official told the AFP on condition of anonymity.

A Deutsche Lufthansa AG spokeswoman at the airline headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, said the plane did not crash but was involved in an accident, according to The AP. The spokeswoman, who declined to be named in line with company policy, said she could not yet provide further details.

Lufthansa had a scheduled flight to Riyadh from its Frankfurt hub on Tuesday, airport sources said, according to Al-Arabiya's website.