NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan

At least 15 people were killed and 66 injured early on Friday when a passenger plane crashed while taking off in Kazakhstan.

According to the Committee for Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan, the Bek Air plane was bound for the capital Nur-Sultan from Almaty with 88 passengers, including eight children and five crew members on board.

The committee said the aircraft crashed into a building during takeoff, with six children among the injured.

Rescue efforts are underway at the scene, it added.

The airline announced it had suspended activities as well as the flights of its Fokker 100 type planes until the reason of the incident could be uncovered.

* Writing by Sena Guler and Burak Bir