NEW DELHI (REUTERS) - An Indian Air Force C-130J Hercules cargo plane crashed on Friday in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, an Air Force spokesman said.

A rescue operation was under way after the plane, a heavy lifter of a type made by US Lockheed Martin Corp, came down to the West of the city of Gwalior.

It was not known how many people were on board, the spokesman said. But the NDTV reported that all five air force personnel on board were killed when the military transport plane crashed 72km west of Gwalior.

The plane was said to be on a routine flying training mission.