The US Marine Corps confirmed that a "mishap" involving a KC-130 occurred in the evening, without providing additional details.

According to CNN, which cited Leflore County emergency management director Fred Randle, all the 16 on the Marine Corps aircraft were confirmed dead.

"All 16 victims were on the Marine Corps aircraft and there were no survivors," Randle told CNN.

The incident was said to have taken place around 4 pm (2100 GMT), Clarion-Ledger newspaper said, adding that firefighters sprayed the aircraft with huge layers of foam to quell the fire.

The plane crashed in a soybean field on the Sunflower-Leflore county line, the paper said.