Panaji: Two Naval cargo aircraft collided mid-air during a ceremonial flypast on October 1 morning killing 15 people, 12 personnel on board and three on the ground, near Dabholim airport, 35 kms from Panaji.

About 19 people on the ground were also injured.

"All the 12 personnel on board are dead. There are also casualties on the ground," Air Chief S Krishnaswamy told reporters in Delhi after speaking to his Naval counterpart Madhvendra Singh.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Karnail Singh said that three labourers working at a house construction site and 19 others were injured when the debris of one of the Russian-made IL-38 planes fell on them.

The accident occurred around 10 hours (IST) when the ill-fated transport aircraft with six personnel on each of them were flying in formation during the silver jubilee celebrations of the Naval base 'INS Hansa'.

Chief Minister Manohar Parikhar said that the debris fell on a residential area, which is not densely populated.

He said that fire brigade personnel and senior officials of police and Naval airbase have rushed to the site of the accident.

PTI