An amphibious plane crashed into a highway bridge on the edge of the Chinese commercial hub Shanghai on Wednesday, killing five people and injuring five more, according to the city government and local media.

The plane, owned by airline Joy General Aviation, was taking off on a flight to neighbouring Zhejiang province with 10 people on board including the crew, when it hit the bridge in Jinshan district shortly after midday, the Shanghai government said in a statement.

Photos posted online by Shanghai media platform "The Paper" showed the plane with its nose on the bridge and its tail on the water.

The local government said those on board included the pilot, co-pilot and eight passengers but did not identify them. Passengers included journalists reporting on the trial flight, the company's first using the aircraft, the Shanghai Daily newspaper said.

The operator, which flies from a base in Zhejiang, bills itself as the first aviation company in China to widely use amphibious aircraft. It offers short flights for tourists to nearby islands as well as sightseeing tours and charters.

The plane was identified by local media as a Cessna 208B, a variation that uses floats in place of landing gear.

Textron Aviation, maker of Cessna aircraft, expressed condolences.

"Textron Aviation is aware there was an accident involving a Joy Air-operated Cessna Caravan that resulted in some fatalities today at Jinshan, Shanghai," it said in a statement to AFP.

"We offer our sincere condolences to the families who lost a loved one; our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this tragic event."