Angola crash
Smoke from emergency vehicles billows behind a plane -- also made by Brazilian company Embraer - in Ottawa. Reuters

Just two days after Angola celebrated the victory of Miss Universe 2011 winner Leila Lopes, the country was struck by tragedy.

A military plane crashed on Wednesday, killing thirty people, including top army generals Lieutenant-General Bernardo Leitao Francisco Diogo and Lieutenant-General Elias Malungo Bravo da Costa Pedro. Six people reportedly survived the crash, although the government has not released official figures.

The plane went down just after taking off from the Huambo airport in the center of the African country.

I don't know what happened, the plane was fine during taxi and takeoff, and then I really do not know what happened, captain Jose Goncalves who is one of the survivors said from hospital, according to Agence France Presse (AFP).

The plane, which is thought to have been carrying a number of senior air force officers, was traveling to the capital of Luanda, about 375 miles away.

The aircraft was reportedly an Embraer jet, manufactured in Brazil.

Thanks to its oil reserves, Angola has become a wealthy nation, but it has been slow to spend on safety and infrastructure. According to AFP, the European Union has banned Angolan airlines on a number of occasions.

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