A passenger plane with 133 people on board crashed on Monday afternoon in a mountainous area in southern China, sending rescue teams rushing to the site in search of survivors.
The Boeing 737 plane, operated by China Eastern Airlines, went down in the Guangxi region, and flames and smoke could be seen rising from a hillside, initial Chinese news reports said, citing local officials.
“Currently a rescue team has assembled and is approaching,” said an online report issued by Chinese state television. “The situation with casualties remains unclear.”
Local media reported that China Eastern flight MU5735 had not arrived at its scheduled destination in Guangzhou after it took off from the city of Kunming shortly after 1:00 pm (0500 GMT) on Monday, citing airport staff.
The flight-tracking ended at 2:22 pm (0622 GMT) an altitude of 3225 feet with a speed of 376 knots.
It had been due to land at 3:05 pm (0705 GMT).
The crash could become one of China’s worst air disasters in many years. Over the past few decades, the country has established a relatively safe flying record, thanks to a young fleet of planes and stricter air controls.
ZZ/PR
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