China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735
This article documents a recent aviation accident. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (March 2022) |
Incident | |
---|---|
Date | 21 March 2022 |
Summary | Crashed into terrain during cruise, under investigation |
Site | Shentangbiao, Molang village, Teng County, Wuzhou, Guangxi, China[1] 23°17′10″N 111°07′30″E / 23.286°N 111.125°E |
Aircraft | |
Aircraft type | Boeing 737-89P |
Operator | China Eastern Yunnan Airlines |
IATA flight No. | MU5735 |
ICAO flight No. | CES5735 |
Call sign | CHINA EASTERN 5735 |
Registration | B-1791 |
Flight origin | Kunming Changshui International Airport[2] |
Destination | Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport |
Occupants | 132[3] |
Passengers | 123[3] |
Crew | 9[3] |
Fatalities | 132[4] |
Survivors | 0 |
China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight operated by China Eastern Airlines from Kunming to Guangzhou, China. On 21 March 2022, the Boeing 737-89P operating the flight crashed in Teng County, Wuzhou prefecture, Guangxi. The aircraft was carrying 132 people, including 123 passengers and 9 crew members.[5] It is presumed that there were no survivors, given the steep pitch and high speed of the plane at the time of the impact.[6]
Flight
The aircraft departed from Kunming Changshui International Airport for Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport at 13:15 local time (05:15 UTC).[7] It was due to land at 15:05 (07:05 UTC).[8]
Four hours before the crash, Wuzhou weather services had issued a warning for strong convective winds.[9]
According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the aircraft lost contact with the flight over the city of Wuzhou.[10] At 14:22 (06:22 UTC), while preparing to descend into Guangzhou, the aircraft entered a sudden steep descent, from 29,100 feet (8,900 m) to 3,225 feet (983 m) in 3 minutes with a descent rate of 8,625 feet (2,629 m) per minute, according to flight data recorded by Flightradar24.[11] Wreckage was subsequently discovered in the mountainous regions of Teng County.[7][1]
Footage of the crash was captured by a nearby CCTV camera, depicting the plane descending at close to a 90-degree angle.[12][13] The crash site was also filmed, showing wreckage and a fire. Many smaller pieces of wreckage were located scattered around the surrounding area.[14] There has not yet been an official confirmation on any casualties.[15]
Aircraft
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-89P with the registration B-1791 and serial number 41474. The aircraft was powered by two CFM56-7B26E turbofan engines.[7] It had first flown on 5 June 2015 and was delivered new to the airline on 25 June 2015.[7] It was painted in the airline's Yunnan Peacock livery.[16][17]
The 737-800 has a good safety record and was the predecessor to the 737 Max that was grounded in China for three years following Lion Air Flight 610 in 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in 2019. The last air accident involving the 737-800 was Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, which was shot down in Iran 2 years earlier. The last air accident in China was in 2010 when Henan Airlines Flight 8387 crashed near Yichun Lindu Airport, which had 44 fatalities.[18]
Response
The Wuzhou prefecture fire department reported that 450 firefighters were dispatched to the scene of the accident.[19] After receiving the emergency call, firefighters were dispatched by the Wuzhou Fire and Rescue Department at 15:05. At 15:56, firefighters from nearby Tangbu Town arrived and performed reconnaissance. At 16:40, firefighters from outside Wuzhou were also dispatched, including from Guilin, Beihai, Hezhou, Laibin and Hechi.[20]
Rescue crews reportedly had difficulty accessing the site due to the fire sparked by the crash. By the evening, 117 rescuers had arrived at the site, with a total of 650 dispatched and heading to the site from three directions.[21] The fire was extinguished at 17:25.[22]
Passengers
There were 123 passengers and nine crew members on the flight according to the CAAC for a total of 132 people onboard. The CAAC and the airline are in the process of getting all passengers and crew names.[23]
Investigation
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States said in a statement that it was made aware of the incident.[24] The FAA added that it was "ready to assist in investigation efforts", if requested. Boeing said that it was informed by initial reports, and was gathering details.[24] Chinese premier Li Keqiang called for all-out efforts to search for survivors and treat the injured, and emphasized the need to reassure and serve the families of the victims. President Xi Jinping called for investigators to determine the cause of the crash as soon as possible and to ensure "absolute" aviation safety.[25]
Reaction
The CAAC enabled an emergency task force and dispatched a team to the crash site.[3]
On U.S. stock markets, Boeing shares fell by 7.8% and China Eastern shares fell by 17% after the incident.[26][27] In Hong Kong, China Eastern shares were down by 6.5%.[27] China Eastern announced that all of its Boeing 737-800s will be grounded for inspection until the investigation of the crash is completed.[28] The website of the airline turned black and white as a tribute for those who died in the crash.
Liu Ning, the Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Guangxi, went to the scene of the crash and ordered an "all-out" search and rescue operation. He was also accompanied by the director of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of the Guangxi and other officials.[29]
See also
- List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft
- List of accidents and incidents involving the Boeing 737
References
- ^ a b "广西消防:发现客机残骸碎片,尚未发现遇难者遗体" [Guangxi Fire Department: Fragments of the passenger plane wreckage were found, but the remains of the victims have not yet been found]. j.eastday.com (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "MU5735搭载133人广西藤县发生事故,昆明长水机场不知情:2点57分已到达" [MU5735 carrying 133 people had an accident in Teng County, Guangxi, Kunming Changshui Airport was unaware: arrived at 2:57]. time-weekly.com (in Chinese). 21 March 2022. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d "东航一架波音737飞机坠毁民航局已启动应急机制" [A Boeing 737 of China Eastern Airlines crashed, the Civil Aviation Administration has activated the emergency mechanism]. Civil Aviation Administration of China (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "Crash of a Boeing 737-89P near Wuzhou: 132 killed". 21 March 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "架搭载133人的客机在广西藤县发生事故,伤亡情况未明" [A passenger plane carrying 133 people was involved in an accident in Teng County, Guangxi, the casualties are unknown] (in Chinese). CCTV News. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ Birsel, Robert (21 March 2022). "Chinese Boeing jet crashes in mountains with 132 on board, no sign of survivors". Reuters. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d Ranter, Harro (21 March 2022). "Accident description". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "Boeing passenger plane crashes in China with smoke seen rising from the scene". GB News. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "东航客机发生事故 事故发生地4小时前曾发布强对流天气预警" [The accident of China Eastern Airlines passenger plane issued a severe convective weather warning 4 hours before the accident]. news.hnr.cn (in Chinese). 21 March 2022. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "China Eastern Boeing 737 Jet Crashes With More Than 130 on Board". Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map". Flightradar24. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ @flightradar24 (21 March 2022). "Flightradar24 data for China Eastern Airlines flight #MU5735 from Kunming to Guangzhou" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 March 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Hradecky, Simon. "Crash: China Eastern B738 near Guangzhou on Mar 21st 2022, lost altitude and impacted terrain". avherald.com. The Aviation Herald. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "Video reportedly shows aftermath of passenger plane crash in China". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "132 feared dead after Chinese plane crashes into mountain". South China Morning Post. 21 March 2022. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "B-1791 China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-89P(WL)". www.planespotters.net. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ Flightradar24. "Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map". Flightradar24. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Chinese airline confirms fatalities after crash". 21 March 2022. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ White, Edward; McMorrow, Ryan; Olcott, Eleanor (21 March 2022). "Passenger plane crashes in southern China". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "滚动丨最新!发现客机残骸碎片,尚未发现遇难者遗体". resource.cloudgx.cn. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "China Eastern Airlines passenger jet crashes with 132 people on board". ABC News. 21 March 2022. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "东航客机坠毁引发的森林火灾已扑灭". Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ Reuters (21 March 2022). "Chinese Boeing jet crashes in mountains with 132 on board, no sign of survivors". Reuters. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
{{cite news}}
:|last=
has generic name (help) - ^ a b Cheng, Evelyn; Gilchrist, Karen; Josephs, Leslie (21 March 2022). "Boeing 737 passenger jet crashes in China with 132 people on board". CNBC. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "Live Updates: China Eastern Plane Crashes in Remote Mountain Valley". The New York Times. 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ Jain, Devik (21 March 2022). "Futures edge lower, Boeing shares fall after 737 crash". Reuters. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ a b Birsel, Robert (21 March 2022). "Chinese Boeing jet crashes in mountains with 132 on board, no sign of survivors". Reuters. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "China Eastern: Plane carrying 132 people crashes in Guangxi hills". BBC. 21 March 2022. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "广西自治区党委书记刘宁已赶赴现场,要求全力搜救" [Liu Ning, Secretary of the Party Committee of Guangxi Autonomous Region, has rushed to the scene and asked for all-out search and rescue]. Hangzhou News (in Chinese). 21 March 2022. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.