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| At Least a Dozen Killed in Plane Crash in Kazakhstan | At Least a Dozen Killed in Plane Crash in Kazakhstan |
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| MOSCOW — A Bek Air passenger jet carrying 98 people crashed into a building shortly after takeoff from Almaty International Airport in Kazakhstan on Friday, killing at least 12 people and leaving scores more injured. | |
| The crash was the latest aviation tragedy to befall a former Soviet republic, a region plagued by a still-checkered safety record even as passenger numbers increase with the proliferation of low-cost carriers, such as Bek Air. | The crash was the latest aviation tragedy to befall a former Soviet republic, a region plagued by a still-checkered safety record even as passenger numbers increase with the proliferation of low-cost carriers, such as Bek Air. |
| This time, most of the passengers survived, the Kazakh authorities said. There were conflicting reports throughout the day on the total number of people on board, but the Health Ministry, in a statement, eventually fixed the numbers at 93 passengers and five crew members. | This time, most of the passengers survived, the Kazakh authorities said. There were conflicting reports throughout the day on the total number of people on board, but the Health Ministry, in a statement, eventually fixed the numbers at 93 passengers and five crew members. |
| The cause of the crash was not immediately known. Photographs carried by Kazakh news outlets showed the fuselage of the passenger jet ripped to pieces in the snow amid the rubble of a building. Rescue workers combed the wreckage. In one photo, emergency workers are seen picking through the debris — a red suitcase, a building’s window frame and pieces of the aircraft. | The cause of the crash was not immediately known. Photographs carried by Kazakh news outlets showed the fuselage of the passenger jet ripped to pieces in the snow amid the rubble of a building. Rescue workers combed the wreckage. In one photo, emergency workers are seen picking through the debris — a red suitcase, a building’s window frame and pieces of the aircraft. |
| At 7:22 a.m., the plane, a Dutch-made Fokker 100, bound for Nur-Sultan, the Kazakh capital, lost altitude and crashed into a two-story building in a residential area near the airport, officials said. | At 7:22 a.m., the plane, a Dutch-made Fokker 100, bound for Nur-Sultan, the Kazakh capital, lost altitude and crashed into a two-story building in a residential area near the airport, officials said. |
| Eight people were confirmed dead at the scene, two more while being treated at the airport and another two after being taken to the hospital, officials said. | Eight people were confirmed dead at the scene, two more while being treated at the airport and another two after being taken to the hospital, officials said. |
| “Where is the ambulance?” a woman can be heard saying on a video from the scene circulated by the Kazakh news media. “People are asking for an ambulance and it’s not arriving.” | “Where is the ambulance?” a woman can be heard saying on a video from the scene circulated by the Kazakh news media. “People are asking for an ambulance and it’s not arriving.” |
| In another video, apparently filmed about 20 minutes after the crash, people can be heard moaning and screaming. No emergency workers can be seen. | In another video, apparently filmed about 20 minutes after the crash, people can be heard moaning and screaming. No emergency workers can be seen. |
| “We’re taking them out on our own and helping on our own,” a man says. | “We’re taking them out on our own and helping on our own,” a man says. |
| Among the dead, Interfax reported, were the plane’s 38-year-old captain, Marat Muratbayev; an editor for a Kazakh news outlet, Dana Gruglova, who was 35; and a prominent Kazakh major general, Rustem Kaydarov, 79. | Among the dead, Interfax reported, were the plane’s 38-year-old captain, Marat Muratbayev; an editor for a Kazakh news outlet, Dana Gruglova, who was 35; and a prominent Kazakh major general, Rustem Kaydarov, 79. |
| A survivor told the Kazakh news outlet, tengrinews.kz, that she heard a “terrifying sound” shortly after takeoff. The plane was flying at a tilt, she said. | A survivor told the Kazakh news outlet, tengrinews.kz, that she heard a “terrifying sound” shortly after takeoff. The plane was flying at a tilt, she said. |
| “Everything was like in a movie: yells, shouts, people crying,” the survivor said. | “Everything was like in a movie: yells, shouts, people crying,” the survivor said. |
| Another survivor, Aslan Nazaraliyev, a businessman, told the Vremya newspaper that the plane was in the air for no more than two minutes before it shook violently. The plane briefly continued climbing, then started falling, at an angle. | Another survivor, Aslan Nazaraliyev, a businessman, told the Vremya newspaper that the plane was in the air for no more than two minutes before it shook violently. The plane briefly continued climbing, then started falling, at an angle. |
| “Everyone was screaming, the children were crying, there was panic,” Mr. Nazaraliyev said. “It became clear that this wasn’t normal turbulence, but that control over the plane was lost.” | “Everyone was screaming, the children were crying, there was panic,” Mr. Nazaraliyev said. “It became clear that this wasn’t normal turbulence, but that control over the plane was lost.” |
| Almaty, in southeastern Kazakhstan near the mountainous border with Kyrgyzstan, is the Central Asian country’s biggest city. | Almaty, in southeastern Kazakhstan near the mountainous border with Kyrgyzstan, is the Central Asian country’s biggest city. |
| The Kazakh authorities have halted flights of the Fokker 100, news agencies reported, citing the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development. Bek Air, which was Kazakhstan’s first low-cost airline, operates seven Fokker 100 jets and flies to 12 Kazakh destinations as well as Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia. | The Kazakh authorities have halted flights of the Fokker 100, news agencies reported, citing the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development. Bek Air, which was Kazakhstan’s first low-cost airline, operates seven Fokker 100 jets and flies to 12 Kazakh destinations as well as Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia. |
| A brief statement from Bek Air offered no details about the crash, saying it was waiting for official information from government workers at the scene. The company offered its condolences and warned Kazakhs about the risk of fraudsters taking advantage of the tragedy. | A brief statement from Bek Air offered no details about the crash, saying it was waiting for official information from government workers at the scene. The company offered its condolences and warned Kazakhs about the risk of fraudsters taking advantage of the tragedy. |
| The accident is at least the second deadly commercial aviation incident in the former Soviet Union this year. An Aeroflot plane made a fiery emergency landing in Moscow in May, killing 41 people. A Saratov Airlines crash outside Moscow last year killed all 71 aboard. | The accident is at least the second deadly commercial aviation incident in the former Soviet Union this year. An Aeroflot plane made a fiery emergency landing in Moscow in May, killing 41 people. A Saratov Airlines crash outside Moscow last year killed all 71 aboard. |
| In Kazakhstan, the last major commercial airline crash took place in 2013, when a SCAT Airlines Canadair CRJ-200 regional jet went down outside Almaty, killing all 21 on board. | In Kazakhstan, the last major commercial airline crash took place in 2013, when a SCAT Airlines Canadair CRJ-200 regional jet went down outside Almaty, killing all 21 on board. |
| On Twitter, Kazakhstan’s president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, expressed his condolences to the victims and said a government commission led by Prime Minister Askar Mamin would investigate the crash. | On Twitter, Kazakhstan’s president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, expressed his condolences to the victims and said a government commission led by Prime Minister Askar Mamin would investigate the crash. |
| “All the guilty will be punished severely in accordance with the law,” Mr. Tokayev said. | “All the guilty will be punished severely in accordance with the law,” Mr. Tokayev said. |
| The first emergency call arrived at 7:43 a.m. local time, or 21 minutes after the crash, according to a timeline provided by airport officials. The airport released the names of 60 people known to have survived the crash. | The first emergency call arrived at 7:43 a.m. local time, or 21 minutes after the crash, according to a timeline provided by airport officials. The airport released the names of 60 people known to have survived the crash. |
| Production on the Fokker 100 ceased in 1997, after the plane’s Dutch manufacturer went into bankruptcy in 1996. Though many airlines have retired the aircraft, more than 100 are still active, mostly in Australia and Iran. The plane is about 39 yards long and can carry 109 passengers. | Production on the Fokker 100 ceased in 1997, after the plane’s Dutch manufacturer went into bankruptcy in 1996. Though many airlines have retired the aircraft, more than 100 are still active, mostly in Australia and Iran. The plane is about 39 yards long and can carry 109 passengers. |
| In July this year, a Fokker 100 flying for Virgin Australia suffered engine failure after taking off from an airport in Western Australia. | In July this year, a Fokker 100 flying for Virgin Australia suffered engine failure after taking off from an airport in Western Australia. |
| Crew members attempted to restart the left engine after it began to fail as the aircraft was climbing, said the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is investigating the incident. They could not get the left engine to restart, but continued to fly to their destination 260 miles away. The plane landed safely with no injuries reported. A report on the investigation is expected in the first few months of the new year. | Crew members attempted to restart the left engine after it began to fail as the aircraft was climbing, said the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is investigating the incident. They could not get the left engine to restart, but continued to fly to their destination 260 miles away. The plane landed safely with no injuries reported. A report on the investigation is expected in the first few months of the new year. |
| And in November, a Fokker 100 flying for Alliance Airlines lost speed preparing to land at Rockhampton Airport in the Australian state of Queensland, the A.T.S.B. said. The craft ran into turbulence on its final approach and fell below the minimum approach speed. It landed safely, but the authorities were scrutinizing technical logs and recorded data and interviewing crew members. A report is expected later in 2020. | And in November, a Fokker 100 flying for Alliance Airlines lost speed preparing to land at Rockhampton Airport in the Australian state of Queensland, the A.T.S.B. said. The craft ran into turbulence on its final approach and fell below the minimum approach speed. It landed safely, but the authorities were scrutinizing technical logs and recorded data and interviewing crew members. A report is expected later in 2020. |
| The Fokker 100 is still sought after for its durability. “The Fokker 100 is a very, very good plane, properly maintained,” said Geoffrey Thomas, editor in chief of Airlineratings.com. “They work in the most harsh environments around the clock.” | The Fokker 100 is still sought after for its durability. “The Fokker 100 is a very, very good plane, properly maintained,” said Geoffrey Thomas, editor in chief of Airlineratings.com. “They work in the most harsh environments around the clock.” |
| Daniel Victor and Jamie Tarabay contributed reporting from Hong Kong. | Daniel Victor and Jamie Tarabay contributed reporting from Hong Kong. |