The Russian-made AN-26 transport aircraft crashed in a mountainous region of western Artemisa province, killing all eight on board including the plane's crew, the Revolutionary Armed Forces ministry said in a statement carried by state media.
The plane, which can carry up to 40 people, had taken off from Playa Baracoa airport just outside the capital Havana. It crashed into a mountain, Loma de la Pimienta, 35 miles (55 kilometers) distant.
The ministry said it was investigating the causes of the accident.
An official with the authority in charge of the crash site told AFP that the area was cordoned off while the bodies were being recovered.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the plane had been making a "military maneuver" when it crashed. The official did not elaborate.
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