China plane crash: Video shows debris and wreckage at site

A China Eastern Airlines aircraft carrying 132 passengers, including nine crew members, from Kunming to Guangzhou in China crashed into the mountains on Monday. The number of casualties is not yet known and rescue operations are underway. 

Some unverified visuals of the crash of wreckage and debris at the site are circulated on social media –  ‘China Aviation Review’ on Twitter posted images of the plane crash. In one of the videos, some remains of the aircraft can be seen in a forest – where a massive fire broke out and billowing of smoke could be seen emerging from the mountains. In another video, a small broken part of the flight can be seen lying in the forest – the China Aviation Review on Twitter wrote ‘not a good sign’. 

Soon after the crash, the China Eastern Airlines website, mobile app and some of its other social media platforms were presented in black and white – as a sign of respect or mourning for the assumed victims. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged the country to step up all rescue efforts after the crash. He has also urged the officials to find a reason behind the incident as soon as possible.

Read more: China Eastern Airlines crash: Website turns black-and-white in sign of respect

According to flight tracking service FlightRadar24, China Eastern flight MU5735 was traveling from Kunming to Guangzhou. China’s aviation regulatory body said that contact with the aircraft was lost over Wuzhou city. There is no immediate information on casualties and emergency teams have rushed to the spot.

In a statement, the aviation body said, “At present, it has been confirmed that this flight has crashed. The CAAC, or Civil Aviation Administration of China has activated the emergency mechanism and sent a working group to the scene.” The Boeing aircraft had been delivered to China Eastern Airlines from Boeing in June 2015. It had been flying for more than six years, reported the Associated Press.

The plane was six years old, and had been cruising at an altitude 29,100 feet at 0620 GMT. Just over two minutes and 15 seconds later, data showed it had descended to 9,075 feet, reported Reuters.

Read more: Plane carrying 132 crashes in China, ‘no sign of survivors’: 10 points