Rescuers work at the site of an air crash in Baotou. Flight Mu5210 from Baotou to Shanghai, east China, fell to the ground about a dozen seconds after it took off from Baotou airport at 8:20 a.m. (0020 GMT) on Sunday, killing all 47 passengers and six crew members on board. -- Xinhua

A small plane carrying more than 50 passengers and crew fell to the ground only about a dozen seconds after it had took off Sunday morning in Baotou City, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The accident happened at about 8:20 a.m. Sunday. Inside the plane were a six-member crew and 47 or 48 passengers, but no accurate information is available. There are slim chances for the people aboard to survive.

The plane, en route from Baotou to China's eastern metropolis Shanghai, crashed into a frozen lake in Nanhai Park of Baotou.

Witnesses said that the plane broke into flaming fragments, a house beside the park was damaged by the falling aircraft and several yachts nearby were scorched.

The fire caused by the accident has been put off. Firefighters and police are breaking the ice on the lake to search for the victims.