Former governor of Pernambuco state and Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB) presidential candidate Eduardo Campos speaks during an interview with Reuters in Sao Paulo April 17, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

SAO PAULO - Brazilian presidential candidate Eduardo Campos was killed in a plane crash in the southeastern city of Santos on Wednesday, television news network GloboNews said, without saying how it obtained the information.

A source in the Brazilian Socialist Party had previously told Reuters that Campos was on the Cessna 560XL that crashed.

Campos, 49, is a former governor of northeastern Pernambuco state who had the support of about 10 percent of voters in recent polls. He positioned himself as a business-friendly leftist and was a former ally of President Dilma Rousseff, who is seeking a second term.

The plane, a Cessna 560XL, lost contact with air traffic control as it was preparing to land, according to an Air Force statement. Television images showed smoke billowing from the crash site in a residential area of Santos.

A police official in Santos said there were "certainly" fatalities in the crash, but could not say how many or provide any additional information.

The Brazilian Socialist Party source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Campos' running mate, Marina Silva, was not on board the plane.