Story highlights Taiwanese news agency says 10 people were injured

Two of the people killed were from France

Taiwan's transportation minister says there were no casualties on the ground

CNN affiliate ETTV says plane hit a residential building

At least 48 people were killed when a twin-engine turboprop plane crashed Wednesday while attempting to land in Taiwan's Penghu Islands, according to Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration.

Officials say 10 people were injured in the plane crash and that five residents on the ground were also hurt. Taiwan's Transportation Minister Yeh Kuang-shih told reporters there were no casualties on the ground.

Taiwanese authorities are now identifying victims and investigating the cause of the crash.

Two of the people killed were believed to be French passengers, identified as Jeromine Deramond and Penelope Luternauer, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency. One of those on the passenger's list was an 82-year-old Taiwanese wood craftsman, according to local Taiwanese media.

Footage aired on CNN affiliate ETTV showed the plane had crashed in a residential area and broken into pieces. ETTV reported that the fallen plane destroyed or damaged 11 houses.

The central weather bureau reported lightning storms at the time and winds between 40 and 45 mph, the news agency said.

Injured passengers were taken to Penghu Hospital, and TransAsia Airways established an emergency response center, according to a statement issued by the airline.

The president of TransAsia Airways, Chooi Yee-choong, appeared briefly at a news conference and bowed in front of news cameras. He choked up as he expressed his sorrow to passengers' families and the public. "I sincerely apologize," he said.

Map: Magong

Photos: Taiwan plane crash Photos: Taiwan plane crash Taiwan plane crash – Rescue workers and firefighters search through the wreckage of TransAsia Airways flight GE222 on Thursday, July 24, after it crashed near the airport at Magong on the Penghu island chain a day before. The domestic TransAsia Airways flight was carrying 54 passengers and four crew members when it crashed in the Penghu island chain. There were 10 survivors. Hide Caption 1 of 13 Photos: Taiwan plane crash Taiwan plane crash – Relatives of victims pray with the victims' portraits during a makeshift ceremony at the crash site on the outlying island of Penghu, Taiwan, on July 24. Stormy weather on the trailing edge of Typhoon Matmo was the likely cause of the plane crash, the airline said Thursday. Hide Caption 2 of 13 Photos: Taiwan plane crash Taiwan plane crash – On July 24, relatives of passengers pray at an altar set up for the victims. Hide Caption 3 of 13 Photos: Taiwan plane crash Taiwan plane crash – Emergency workers remove the wreckage on July 24. Hide Caption 4 of 13 Photos: Taiwan plane crash Taiwan plane crash – Rescue workers survey the wreckage of the flight on Thursday, July 24. The plane was attempting to land in stormy weather but crashed on the island late Wednesday, wrecking houses and cars on the ground. Hide Caption 5 of 13 Photos: Taiwan plane crash Taiwan plane crash – Rescue workers survey the wreckage on July 24. Hide Caption 6 of 13 Photos: Taiwan plane crash Taiwan plane crash – The tail section of the plane is seen in the rubble. Hide Caption 7 of 13 Photos: Taiwan plane crash Taiwan plane crash – Rescuers work at the crash site on Wednesday, July 23. Flight GE222 was a twin-engine turboprop plane. Hide Caption 8 of 13 Photos: Taiwan plane crash Taiwan plane crash – The cause of the crash, near Magong Airport, wasn't immediately known. Hide Caption 9 of 13 Photos: Taiwan plane crash Taiwan plane crash – Relatives of passengers are seen at Kaohsiung International Airport in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on July 23. Before Flight GE222 took off from Kaohsiung, it had been delayed due to conditions related to a typhoon, the airline said. Hide Caption 10 of 13 Photos: Taiwan plane crash Taiwan plane crash – A vehicle is covered in rubble from the wreckage on July 23. Hide Caption 11 of 13 Photos: Taiwan plane crash Taiwan plane crash – Local journalists wait in front of a TransAsia reservations desk at the Taipei Sungshan Airport in Taipei, Taiwan, on July 23. Hide Caption 12 of 13 Photos: Taiwan plane crash Taiwan plane crash – A passenger's relative reacts at the airport in Kaohsiung on July 23. Hide Caption 13 of 13

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Before Flight GE222 took off from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, it had been delayed because of conditions related to a typhoon, the airline said. The plane was a 72-seat twin-engine turboprop ATR 72.

"TransAsia Airways is exhausting all means to assist passengers, victims and families" and working with investigators, its statement read.

One of the plane's flight data recorders was recovered, and investigators will examine the crash site Thursday, the minister said.

The plane crashed near Magong Airport at about 7 p.m., according to CNA. Witnesses told ETTV that they saw homes on fire.

The cause of the crash is unknown.

Some media reports said strong winds from Typhoon Matmo, which hit Taiwan early Wednesday, forced the plane to attempt a crash landing.

Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration director, Jean Shen told reporters that visibility at Magong Airport at the time of the plane's attempted landing was about 1,600 meters (1 mile) and considered acceptable for landing.

The Penghu Islands are off the west coast of the main Taiwanese island.