A China Eastern Boeing 737-800 with 132 people on board crashed in a remote mountainous area of southern China on Monday, officials said, setting off a forest fire visible from space in the country’s worst air disaster in nearly a decade. More than seven hours after communication was lost, there is still no word of any survivors.
The passenger flight was flying from Kunming to Guangzhou when it plunged to earth and caught fire. There were 123 passengers on board, including nine crew members. The number of casualties and the reason for the crash are not yet known, but Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered an immediate investigation to determine the cause. China Eastern Airlines has grounded all its 737-800s.
The flight-tracking data suggests that the plane lost height from its cruising altitude before plummeting to the ground. More than 600 emergency responders are at the site. The firefighters reached the crash site first and extinguished the fire set ablaze by the crash.
Footage taken by the local villagers was shared on Chinese social media and news channels showing a thick plume of smoke emanating from the debris of the flight.
China Eastern Airlines was established for the people seeking information about anyone on board. The company also offered “its deep condolences for the passengers and crew members who died.” The company also greyed its logo in its Weibo account and also changed its website to black and white in an apparent sign of mourning and sorrow.