MOSCOW, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed on Monday when a training aircraft crashed near the city of Orsk in Russia's Orenburg Region, local authorities said.

The crash was reported at 12:51 p.m. local time (0751 GMT). The victims were two students and an instructor from the St. Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation, according to regional officials.

The aircraft was conducting a training flight at the time of the incident. Rescuers reported no fire at the crash site, said the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Local law enforcement agencies have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash.