A third man travelling in the plane was taken to hospital after being rescued from the sea after a major search operation, according to the French Maritime Authority.

A spokeswoman for Coventry Airport confirmed that the privately-owned twin-engine Beech Baron aircraft took off at 9.12am en route to Guernsey.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "I can confirm that two British nationals have died after the plane crashed (on Wednesday) morning.

"Consular staff are currently trying to contact next-of-kin.

"A third man, also a British national, was taken to hospital."

The plane crashed into the sea between Alderney and the French coast.

The French Maritime Authority reported that two people were found unconscious in the sea and later declared dead.

A third person was taken to hospital in France after officials at Jersey Airport alerted rescue crews that contact had been lost with the aircraft eight miles north of Cherbourg.

A spokeswoman for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said: "The French authorities are investigating this matter and the AAIB will obviously be assisting them."