3 confirmed dead after plane crash in Fukuoka Pref.

Around 10:40 am, a local resident made an emergency call to fire authorities reporting that what appeared to be a Cessna aircraft had crashed, with black smoke visible.

Police officers and firefighters found apparent plane debris during search operations on a mountain.

The three people, who were believed to be aboard the aircraft, were found near the likely crash site, which is close to the border with Oita Prefecture.

They were pronounced dead at the scene.

The three are all men--two from the western city of Kyoto and one from the city of Kobe, also western Japan, according to the office of Kyushu-Saga International Airport in the city of Saga, the capital of the namesake prefecture adjacent to Fukuoka.

Police are working to confirm details of their identities.

The aircraft that apparently crashed was a Cirrus SR20 five-seater single-propeller plane, made by Cirrus Aircraft of the United States.

A distress signal from the aircraft was received around 10:31 am, about 20 minutes after it took off from Kyushu-Saga International Airport, transport ministry officials said.

The plane arrived at Kyushu-Saga International Airport from Yao Airport in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, on Monday.

According to its flight plan, the plane was scheduled to leave Kyushu-Saga International Airport around 10:15 am on Tuesday and arrive back at Yao Airport around 12:45 pm.