The people of China have been left reeling after news broke that a China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-800 crashed in a forested hillside with 132 people on board.
According to BBC, the plane had been flying from Kunming in the southern Yunnan province to Guangzhou before crashing into Guangxi province and catching fire.
The reason for the crash is still unknown. More than 600 emergency responders descended on the crash site, but there have been no signs of survivors.
The shock of the crash has reverberated through the nation with President Xi Jinping ordering an immediate investigation to determine the cause. This is the first major accident in 12 years as Chinese airlines are renowned for their good safety record, as per News Day.
As a precaution, China Eastern Airlines has grounded all ts 737-800s.
While very little is known, flight data suggests that the plane lost height rapidly from its cruising altitude before crashing to the ground.
Footage taken by local villagers has been making the rounds on social media which shows fire and smoke engulfing the side of the hills where the crash took place, with plane debris scattered on the ground.
The international public opinion was shaken by the plane crash that took place in China… No 123 passengers survived. The Boeing 737-800 belonging to China-based airline company China Eastern Airlines has started to be discussed again.#BREAKING pic.twitter.com/4lAhVe4K8U
— Akıncı (@Aknc35624923) March 21, 2022
China Eastern Airlines flight #MU5735, a Boeing 737-89P en route from Kunming to Guanghzou, crashed in #Guangxi Southern Part of #China with 133 People on Board.#ChinaPlaneCrash #planecrash pic.twitter.com/PnXKsULP8d
— Shahbaz Ahmad (@Shahbaz487) March 21, 2022
NEW – Boeing shares plunge after plane crash in China and announcement by airline company that it will stop all its 737-800 flights. pic.twitter.com/2peP9JRlEu
— Shocks_SS (@ss_shocks) March 21, 2022
Pictures from the scene of a #Boeing 737 crash in south #China.
latest: https://t.co/otZytipiEw pic.twitter.com/IBFrkJDsK3
— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) March 21, 2022
This tragic crash hits a little closer to home as Comair, which manages Kulula.com and British Airways, had found itself grounded earlier last week by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA). Its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) had been suspended for five days which came on the back of a series of occurrences that posed “safety risks” by kulula.com and BA Comair airlines, according to SACAA.
However, Comair has been cleared to fly once again.
Cape {town} Etc sends our sincerest condolences to the families who are having to experience this terrible loss.
Also read:
Kulula.com and British Airways take to the skies as SACAA lifts suspension
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