Argentine policemen walk out of the VIP lounge near a poster of Sol airline at Neuquen airport, early May 19, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

BUENOS AIRES - All the 22 people onboard a small plane were killed when it crashed in Argentina's southern Rio Negro province on Wednesday, the regional Sol airline said.

The Saab 340 plane with 19 passengers, including a child, and three crew members onboard, was flying from the southern city of Neuquento to Comodoro Rivadavia Wednesday night, an airline official said.

According to local media reports, the cold weather had caused engine failure of the plane, forcing the pilot to send distress signals three times to the control tower asking for an emergency landing.

The control tower received the last distress signal 40 minutes after the plane's takeoff. It crashed near Prahuaniyeu in Rio Negro province at around 21:50 local time (0050 GMT Thursday).

Rescuers did not find any survivors at the crash site.