Small German airplane crashes in Croatia, killing 2

Two people were killed when a small aircraft registered in Germany crashed near Croatia's coastal city of Zadar, local media reported on Saturday.

Croatian police said the two-seater motor glider, which can fly with a small engine or glide without one, went down in the Velebit mountains on Friday.

The long, rugged mountain range runs parallel to the Adriatic coast.

Authorities said the Diamond HK36 Super Dimona was en route from the Czech Republic to Zadar when it crashed.

According to media reports, contact with the aircraft was lost just after 4 p.m. local time (1400 GMT/UTC).

Police said the wreckage, along with the bodies of two passengers, was found after a lengthy search.

Challenging terrain, along with heavy rain, wind and fog, meant it took nearly six hours to reach the location.

Croatian media outlet Jutarnji list cited the mountain rescue agency as describing the conditions as "extremely difficult."