The US military says an American reconnaissance plane crashed 10 kilometres from the only US base in Africa, killing four service members on board.

A military statement on Monday said that the crash occurred at about 8 pm on Saturday.

US personnel from Camp Lemonnier in the tiny Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti responded to the scene.

Specialist Ryan Whitney of the 1st Special Operations Wing said that initial indications are that the plane did not crash because of hostile fire.

The plane was conducting an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission. Camp Lemonnier lies only miles from the border with Somalia.