The BBC's Lara Pawson in Luanda: UN's quest to launch rescue

The Angolan army says an unknown number of passengers survived the crash and were taken by rebel forces.

Army Brigadier Joo Jota Manuel said Unita prisoners had said the UN survivors were in good condition, and being held near the crash site in the Unita-controlled areas of Bailundo and Andulo.

Angolan state radio said Unita was holding the survivors at a base near the central city of Huambo, where the plane came down last weekend.

The reports could not be independently confirmed. Unita official Alcides Sakala told the BBC that the Angolan army's report was cheap propaganda.

Thousands of refugees have flooded into Huambo

However he said attacks by government fighter aircraft had prevented him from receiving information from the front line.

The UN said it was trying to contact the Unita leadership to establish the exact situation.

The C-130 Hercules was carrying 14 people when it came down in a region where government and Unita forces have been fighting for the past month.

The government has issued security guarantees to allow a UN team to travel to the site - 500km south-east of the capital, Luanda.

The UN is reportedly seeking similar guarantees of safety from Unita.

Huambo, Angola's second-largest city, is held by the government and is used by the army to fly in reinforcements for fighting in surrounding areas.