'Human error' kills 114 in Milan crash

Wreckage is removed from the scene of the disaster in which 114 people died

MILAN, Italy -- Human error is being blamed for the deaths of 114 people when a passenger plane ploughed into a building at Milan's Linate airport.

As the inquiry into the cause of the tragedy got underway, it was feared that the death toll could rise.

The Scandinavian Airways System aircraft hit the baggage-handling hangar at 8.15 a.m. (0615 GMT) on Monday following a collision between it and a small private aircraft.

In a statement, Italy's Interior Ministry ruled out terrorism, saying: "It's an accident due to human error and low visibility."

Transport Minister Pietro Lunardi said the known death toll was 114 with four ground workers missing.

VIDEO The investigation into a plane crash that killed more than a hundred people has begun in Milan, Italy. CNN's Tom Bogdanowicz reports (October 9) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   MORE STORIES SAS: Chronology of incidents

"The cause seems for now attributable to human error," he told the Associated Press news agency.

"The rescue teams went into action immediately but it was impossible to save anyone in the planes. They are all dead."

Provincial president Roberto Formigoni said in a statement: "It's a terrible tragedy that fills us with pain and mourning and comes at an already difficult time in the international context."

As the inquiry into the crash began, officials at Linate airport said it appeared that the small German plane, a Cessna, was in the wrong place when the accident occurred.

The SAS airliner, an MD-87 heading for Copenhagen, lost control after hitting the Cessna on the runway, which was shrouded in fog.

The passenger plane -- with 104 passengers and six crew on board -- then struck a baggage-handling hangar before bursting into flames, the ministry said.

The hanger collapsed after the impact.

The ministry confirmed that all the passengers, including 48 Italians, on the SAS flight and the four people on board the Cessna were killed.

The two Cessna pilots were German, and the two passengers on the eight-seater plane were Italian, said Alessandra Tripodi, a spokeswoman at the Milan Prefect's office.

"Unfortunately the toll is bound to rise," she told AP.

Firefighters hose down the damaged building amid dense fog

Officials were not certain how many people were in the hangar building during the accident.

More than 35 bodies had been pulled from the wreckage, as firefighters worked to contain the blaze, Tripodi said.

Access to the fuselage and cabin of the jetliner was made difficult because the plane hit a cement beam as it ploughed into the baggage storage building, causing the roof to collapse.

Rescue crews using a crane lifted the roof off but "the scene is not encouraging in terms of finding survivors," she said.

Relatives in Milan were kept in a room away from the press, and special hotlines were set up for those seeking information.

An SAS statement confirmed one of its planes had been involved in an accident at Linate airport.

SAS said the aircraft, Flight SK686, had been scheduled to take off at 7:35 a.m. for Copenhagen.

"SAS is doing everything possible to help passengers and to assist Italian authorities at this time," the airline said in a statement.