BRUSSELS, February 9 (RIA Novosti) – A small tourist plane crashed at Belgium's Charleroi airport, near Brussels on Saturday, killing five people, Belgian media have reported.

The Belga news agency said the Cessna light aircraft had a problem during the takeoff and tried to return to the airport immediately but crashed on the side of the runway as it attempted to land.

According to flandersnews.be website, all victims were members of one family. The victims are a grandfather, his daughter-in-law and three grandchildren aged seven, six and three.

The cause of the plane crash was not immediately known. The Charleroi airport has been closed and several flights have been diverted, local media said citing police.