Plane Crashes in New York

American Airlines flight 587 from New York City to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, crashed shortly after take-off from John F. Kennedy airport around 9.15 a.m. on Monday, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said.

The wide-body Airbus A-300 twin engine passenger jet crashed five miles from the airport in a residential area of Rockaway, in the Queens borough of New York City, said FAA spokesman William Shumann.

Four buildings were hit in a residential area in the New York borough of Queens. Thick clouds of black smoke are billowing over the crash site.

Though there are no indications of any irregularities or distress calls, which may link the crash to the September 11 attacks in New York, America is extremely sensitive and vulnerable after the attacks. And Americans are nervously tuning in to preliminary information about the crash trickling in.

246 passengers and 9 crew are believed to be aboard the Airbus.

All airports as well as bridges and tunnels in New York have been ordered closed following the crash.