A Mauritanian official says that a military plane which was on a training mission crashed near the desert town of Aoujeft, located roughly 500 kilometers (300 miles) northeast of the capital.

The official said Monday that there were at least two people on board the plane, including the pilot and a mechanic. The official said one of the two was found alive, while the second has not yet been found, though he could not identify either. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he did not have permission to speak to the press.

In July 2012, a military plane crashed on the tarmac of the airport in the capital, Nouakchott, killing eight people.