Portugal beach crash kills two

Witnesses said a light plane made an emergency landing on a packed beach in Caparica, south of Lisbon.

A man and a child have been killed after a light plane made an emergency landing on a beach south of Lisbon, according to Portuguese media.

The two people who died were a 56-year-old man and an eight-year-old girl who were sunbathing on the packed beach at Sao Joao da Caparica in Almada where the plane landed, emergency services said.

"A plane with two people on board made an emergency landing on Sao Joao da Caparica beach, striking two sunbathers and causing their deaths," the National Maritime Authority said in a statement.

The girl was with her parents at the time, both of whom were unhurt.

Witnesses said the aircraft, carrying two people, looked as if it was in difficulty as it skimmed low over sunbathers, many of whom reportedly ran into the sea to avoid the plane.

Officials said they did not believe anyone else was hurt in the incident.

The two pilots of the aircraft, which was believed to be a Cessna, were uninjured and have been taken by police for questioning.

Updated: August 02, 2017, 5:51 PM