A small plane makes an emergency landing in the southern Paris suburbs

PARIS — A small twin-engine plane was forced to make an emergency landing Monday in the southern Paris suburbs, France’s civil aviation safety agency said.

French media said the aircraft landed near a populated area in the town of Villejuif.

Sebastien Barthe, the communications director for the safety agency known as BEA for short, said the cause of the unplanned landing was a “technical problem” and that four people were on board the plane, including the pilot.

Barthe could not confirm French media reports saying that three passengers sustained injuries but said his agency was investigating what led up to the emergency landing.

“We will examine all aspects, including the pilot’s health and the aircraft’s mechanical condition,” he said.

Emergency services were on the scene quickly. Photos and videos widely shared on social media showed the plane against a wall and emergency personnel at work.