A helicopter ferrying passengers to Freetown airport in Sierra Leone has crashed, killing at least 20 people.

The 19 passengers are reportedly from Togo and were returning from watching an international football match.

The two pilots came from Ukraine. One died after jumping out of the craft as it was approaching the airport. There is reportedly one survivor.

Helicopters and ferries are the only way to reach the airport, which is located across a bay from Freetown.

The passengers had been watching Togo beat Sierra Leone 1-0 an African Nations Cup qualifier.

The helicopter was operated by Paramount Airlines, and owned by a Nigerian businessman, according to an airline maintenance officer quoted by the AFP news agency.

The officer said that it caught fire as it was coming in to land at the airport.

The co-pilot has reportedly survived, but is in critical condition.