MOSCOW, March 23 (RIA Novosti) - Two pilots died when their MD-11 cargo plane, which had taken off from Guangzhou in China, crashed at Tokyo's Narita Airport, national media said on Monday.

The crash occurred as the plane came into land in high winds of up to 72 km per hour (44 miles per hour) early on Monday morning. Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that the plane's left wing hit the ground before bursting into flames.

Rescue services pulled both pilots, who were U.S. nationals, from the wreckage, but they were confirmed dead on arrival at a local hospital.

Japan's NHK said the dead crew members were pilot Kevin Kyle Mosley, 54, and his co-pilot Anthony Stephen Pino, 49.

Narita's runway A is currently closed to air traffic with some incoming flights diverted. The crash is the first to occur at Narita for over 30 years.

Air accident experts have said that the strong winds are the most likely cause of the crash.