Dashcam Footage Captures Fiery Plane Crash in Malta

— -- The final moments of a small plane that crashed to the ground and exploded into a fireball in Malta has been captured on a dashcam video.

The footage, posted by Facebook user Laurent Azzopardi, shows the twin-prop Fairchild Metroliner falling from the sky shortly after taking off from Malta's airport Monday morning.

"On my way to the work this morning - a very shocking experience, a plane crash," Azzopardi wrote.

Five people were killed in the crash.

The French defense ministry said the victims -- three defense ministry officials and two private contractors — had been conducting a surveillance operation. Malta's government said the flight was part of a French Customs operation tracing routes of illicit trafficking from Libya, where the plane was headed.