The Russian-made cargo plane took off from the Jinnah Karachi International Airport for Khartoum, Sudan, said Pervez George, a spokesman for Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority. It went down a few minutes later in the Gulistan-e Johar section of Karachi, an area where many Pakistani naval officers live.

It was carrying relief supplies, including tents, to Africa before it went down. The plane arrived in Karachi on November 27 from Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, he said.

Masood Raza, a Karachi district government official said that the pilot appeared to deliberately bring the plane down in a less densely populated residential area in order to save lives.

All eight people confirmed dead were members of the downed aircraft's crew and all are Russian nationals, said George.