The Indonesian military plane that crashed in a residential part of Medan likely suffered an engine failure, a top military official has told the BBC.

The pilot requested to return to base and the plane crashed two minutes after take off

More than 140 people died on Tuesday when the Hercules C-130 exploded in a fireball shortly after take-off.

Air Force chief Agus Supriatna said that one of the engine's propellers was found in a position which indicated it was not working.

The pilot had requested permission to return to base.

But the plane crashed two minutes after leaving from a nearby airport.

'Impossible to control'

Mr Supriatna said the investigation team had found all of the plane's engines and the abnormal propeller.

The C-130 Hercules has four engines, and Mr Supriatna said even though the other three were still functional it would have been impossible to control the plane as the problem occurred right after take off.

Witnesses on the ground said the plane was tilting and emitting black smoke right before it crashed into two buildings and exploded in a fireball.

Source: BBC