Dozens killed as TransAsia plane crashes in Taiwan

World Today

TransAsia Airways crashA photo from CCTV News shows emergency crews working at the site of a TransAsia Airways plane crash.

A plane crash in Taiwan has killed dozens and injured 11. The plane landed in tropical storm and crashed outside an airport.

CCTV’s Andy Lee reports.

Dozens killed as TransAsia plane crashes in Taiwan

A plane crash in Taiwan has killed dozens and injured 11. The plane landed in tropical storm and crashed outside an airport. CCTV's Andy Lee reports.

Government’s Central News Agency quoted Taiwan’s Transport Minister Yeh Kuang-shih as saying the plane crashed and caught fire while making a second landing attempt. The transport minister said 47 people were trapped and feared dead.

Rescue teams say they have recovered 10 bodies from the crash site.

Flight GE222, an ATR-72 aircraft operated by Taiwanese airline TransAsia Airways, was heading from the southern port city of Kaohsiung to the island Penghu, halfway between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait, according to the Taiwanese news agency.

The flight carried 58 passengers and crew members

It crashed outside the airport in Xixi village. Images from CCTV News show a handful of firefighters using flashlights to look at wreckage in the darkness.

Television networks aired footage of TransAsia’s president, Chooi Yee-choong, bowing in apology.

“I am the president of TransAsia Airways. Firstly, I solemnly apologize to everyone. I apologize for this unfortunate event,” he said, before bowing deeply in front of cameras and reporters.

He said the airline was doing all it could to help the families and assist authorities in their investigations.

“We are helping passengers and notifying their families. We are doing all we can to help them in the aftermath of the event. We are also sparing no efforts in assisting Civil Aeronautics Administration and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in their investigations,” he said.

He added the airline would charter a flight to Penghu island early on Thursday (July 24) morning (2200GMT on July 23).

Flight GE 222 was scheduled to take off at 16:00, but left Kaohsiung at 17:43 due to bad weather.

The flight requested permission to circle around before trying to land at Magong Airport, but lost contact with the tower, said Jean Shen, director general of Taiwan’s civil aeronautics administration, at a press conference.

The accident happened as typhoon Matmo arrived at the island with heavy rains and strong winds, shutting financial markets and schools.

For more insight on the tragedy, aviation expert Seth Kaplan joined CCTV’s Elaine Reyes.

Seth Kaplan on Taiwan plane crash

For more insight on the tragedy, aviation expert Seth Kaplan joined CCTV's Elaine Reyes.

Report compiled with information from CCTV News, Reuters, The Associated Press and Xinhua.

TransAsia Airways flight GE222

A photo taken on July 23, 2014 shows the wreckage of the TransAsia Airways flight GE222 after it crashed in Penghu islands. More than 40 people were feared dead in a plane crash in Taiwan with witnesses and local media reporting the flight came down in a storm after an aborted landing. Taiwan’s transport minister said that 10 bodies had so far been recovered from the wreckage of the domestic flight, which had 58 people on board. AFP PHOTO / Apple Daily