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Taiwan TransAsia Airways plane crash kills at least 40 | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A passenger plane has crashed after a failed emergency landing in Taiwan, killing more than 40 people, local officials say. | A passenger plane has crashed after a failed emergency landing in Taiwan, killing more than 40 people, local officials say. |
The domestic TransAsia Airways flight crashed near Magong airport on the outlying Penghu island, reports said. | The domestic TransAsia Airways flight crashed near Magong airport on the outlying Penghu island, reports said. |
There were a total of 54 passengers and four crew on board, Taiwan's CNA news agency reported. | There were a total of 54 passengers and four crew on board, Taiwan's CNA news agency reported. |
Aviation officials said flight GE222 aborted its initial landing and then crashed, local media reported. | Aviation officials said flight GE222 aborted its initial landing and then crashed, local media reported. |
Transport minister Yeh Kuang-Shih said that 47 people were killed and 11 were injured, CNA reported. | Transport minister Yeh Kuang-Shih said that 47 people were killed and 11 were injured, CNA reported. |
The agency previously said that 51 were feared killed, citing fire department officials. | |
"It's chaotic [at] the scene," Jean Shen, director of the Civil Aeronautics Administration, told Reuters news agency. | |
'Plane in flames' | |
Firefighters and other emergency personnel are attempting to rescue those on board. | |
A photo published by local media showed firefighters examining the debris, with light being shone to illuminate the wreckage in the darkness. | A photo published by local media showed firefighters examining the debris, with light being shone to illuminate the wreckage in the darkness. |
The ATR 72 turboprop aircraft departed from the southern municipality of Kaohsiung at 17:43 local time (09:43 GMT), but lost contact with controllers at 19:06, CNA said, citing the Civil Aeronautics Administration. | |
The plane was found at Penghu island's Xixi village in flames, local media reported. | The plane was found at Penghu island's Xixi village in flames, local media reported. |
David Vargas, a spokesman for the manufacturer ATR, told the BBC's Chinese service: "We are aware of the crash. We are trying to get more information and confirm what went wrong." | |
Earlier on Wednesday, Taiwan was battered by strong winds and rain from a tropical storm, Typhoon Matmo. | |
Typhoon Matmo had caused many flights to be cancelled but the land warning was lifted around 17:30 local time, around the time the plane took off, the BBC's Cindy Sui in Taipei reports. | |
How are you affected by the crash? Are you near Magong airport? You can email your comments to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'Taiwan'. | How are you affected by the crash? Are you near Magong airport? You can email your comments to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'Taiwan'. |