Plane crashes into truck in France, killing driver

PARIS, Jan 25 (Reuters) A Regional Airlines plane carrying 54 people crashed into a small truck in the south of France today, killing the driver, the Transport Ministry said.

The incident happened near the Pau-Pyrenees airport after a bird flew into the plane's engine.

The 50 passengers and four cabin staff on the Fokker 100 were not injured and were evacuated from the plane.

''The aircraft, which was taking off, had to carry out an emergency landing next to the runway after a bird flew into one of the engines,'' a statement from the ministry said.

The plane hit the public works truck travelling on a road around the airport and the driver died in the accident, it said.

The plane came to a stop several hundred metres later.

An inquiry has been ordered into the accident.

REUTERS SY RK2142