China Eastern Airlines passenger jet crashes in Guangxi, state media says

UPDATE: 5:17 AM – Tuesday, March 22, 2022 (GMT)| No survivors have been recovered from the crash.

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GUANGXI, China (BKNN) – According to Chinese state media, a domestic passenger plane carrying 132 people, 123 of which were passengers, has crashed into the mountains western portion of Guangxi.  These numbers have been confirmed by China Eastern Airlines.

The plane, a Boeing 737-800, disappeared from radar after a rapid descent from normal cruising altitude.  Chinese media reported that there are no signs of survivors.

The airline posted the following on their official Weibo account, ”China Eastern Airlines has activated the emergency mechanism, dispatched a working group to the scene, and opened a special line for emergency assistance to family members,”.

There is a search and rescue operation under way, ordered by President Xi Jinping.  President Xi Jinping has also ordered an investigation into the cause of the accident.  According to CCTV,  “After the accident, President Xi Jinping immediately made instructions to start the emergency mechanism, organize search and rescue, and properly deal with the aftermath.”

Surveillance data showed the aircraft had been at a cruising altitude of 29,000 feet when it started to descend rapidly. The dive paused briefly around the 10,000 foot mark, before resuming its descent, according to the data. Flight data was lost at around the altitude of 3,200 feet.

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