The Boeing 737-800 plane suddenly started plunging vertically and crashed into the mountains
A China Eastern Boeing 737-800 with 132 people on board crashed in a mountainous area in the southern province of Guangxi on Monday. There has been no word on the number of dead or injured but all aboard are feared dead.
China Eastern Flight 5735 was flying from the southwestern city of Kunming to to Guangzhou on Monday afternoon, Civil Aviation Administration of China said in a statement.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an “all-out effort” by the rescue operation and asked the rescuers to do their utmost and “handle the aftermath in a proper manner.” He ordered an investigation into the crash and asked authorities to ensure complete civil aviation safety.
The first rescuers on the scene found only debris and fires, and bad weather and rough terrain also hampered rescue efforts overnight.
It has been described as worst air disaster in nearly a decade in China. The country’s air safety record is among the best in the world over the past decade.
China Eastern offered its condolences to those who were killed in the incident. “The cause of the plane crash is still under investigation. The company expresses its sorrowful condolences to the passengers and crew members who died in this plane crash,” the airline said in a statement.
Boeing released a statement saying: “Our thoughts are with the passengers and crew of China Eastern Airlines Flight MU 5735. We are working with our airline customer and are ready to support them.”
The plane, about seven years old, had been cruising at about 30,000 feet just 3 minutes before it suddenly started plunging vertically and crashed into the mountains, sparking a forest fire big enough to be seen on NASA satellite images.
A video published by Chinese media showed the plane nosediving before crashing in Guangxi. A horrifying footage showed the Boeing 737 plummeting straight down into a mountainous area near the city of Wuzhou.
All you need to know:
- China Eastern Boeing 737-800 crashed with 132 people on board.
- The flight 5735 had been traveling at around 30,000 feet when it entered a steep dive and stopped transmitting data 96 seconds later.
- Boeing 737-800 is part of the 737 family, the world’s most-flown commercial aircraft series.
- China’s air safety record is among the best in the world over the past decade.
