A Burmese military aircraft reportedly carrying more than 100 people has gone missing, officials say.

The army said the plane was flying between the southern city of Myeik and Yangon (Rangoon). Search and rescue efforts are under way.

“Communication was lost suddenly at about 1:35 pm [07:05 GMT] when it reached about 20 miles west of Dawei town,” the army said in a statement.

There were 105 passengers and 11 crew on board, an airport source told AFP.

The military did not say how many people the Chinese-built military transport aircraft was carrying.

Military planes and helicopters have been dispatched to the area.

The plane was flying over the Andaman Sea when it went missing, the statement added.