A cargo plane has crashed on take-off near the international airport in South Sudan's capital Juba, with many casualties being reported.

About 40 bodies were counted at the wreck site by a BBC reporter.

It is unclear how many of the victims were on the plane and how many were on the ground.

Juba's Radio Miraya says the Russian-built plane was heading to Paloch in Upper Nile State and crashed just 800m (half a mile) from the runway.

Presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told Reuters news agency that there were at least two survivors, a crew member and a child on board.(BBC)