A Boeing 737-89P(WL) aircraft of China Eastern Airlines crashed in Wuzhou, China, a report from Chinese state-owned media China Central Television (CCTV) said.
According to CCTV, the Guangxi Emergency Management Department confirmed that a Boeing 737 passenger plane crashed with 132 passengers and 9 crew members aboard.
Flight MU-5735 departed from Kunming at 5:16 AM (UTC +0) bound for Guangzhou. At 6:19 AM (UTC +0), transponder data from FlightRadar24.com suggested that the aircraft was cruising at 29,100 feet or 8,900 meters. Three minutes later, the altitude was already at 3,000 feet with a -31,000 feet per second descent rate.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China has confirmed the crash and has activated an “emergency response mechanism.” Rescue teams have been deployed and are approaching the scene.
In a statement posted via Chinese social media site Weibo, China Eastern Airlines said that airline staff are on the way to the crash site. A hotline has already been established for the next of kin. Moreover, the carrier grayed out their website as a sign of mourning.
Photos of alleged aircraft parts scattered around a mountainous area have emerged over the internet. Twitter account China Aviation Review tweeted a video of the supposedly burning crash site.
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