257 people were killed when an Algerian military plane crashed shortly after taking off from an army airport in the north of the country, local officials confirmed.

Some survivors of the plane crash at Boufarik Airport have been rescued, AP reported, citing local emergency services.

The jet crashed on Wednesday morning, shortly after taking off from Boufarik Airport, which is the base for the Air Transport fleet of the Algerian Air Force.

The crashed plane was an Ilyushin Il-76 strategic airlifter, Algerian media report.

The base is only 20km from the Algerian capital of Algiers.

The jet crashed in an “agricultural area,” according to the statement from the Algerian Defense Ministry. The cause of the incident is as yet unclear and a probe has been opened, according to officials.