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Taiwan: more than 40 feared dead in TransAsia Airways plane crash Taiwan: more than 40 feared dead in TransAsia Airways plane crash
(about 1 hour later)
Forty-seven passengers are trapped and feared dead after their plane crashed at a Taiwanese airport while trying to land in the wake of typhoon Matmo, the transport minister has said. Forty-seven passengers are feared dead and 11 are injured after their plane crashed while trying to land at a Taiwanese airport on Wednesday evening, hours after typhoon Matmo battered the region.
Eleven people are believed to be injured. Earlier, fire officials had said that 51 people had died and seven had been wounded when TransAsia Airways flight GE222 hit the ground as it made a second attempt to land on Penghu amid heavy rain. The island lies between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan. The transport minister Yeh Kuang-shih said TransAsia Airways flight GE222 had been attempting an emergency landing, which the airline blamed on bad weather. The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said conditions on Penghu, an island between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, had been suitable for incoming flights.
In a statement, the airline said the flight had been forced to make an emergency landing at Xixi village on Wednesday evening due to bad weather. Pictures posted by Taiwanese media showed the wreckage of a plane amid a badly damaged building. Pictures posted by local media showed the wreckage of a plane amid a badly damaged building. The flight had taken off from Kaohsiung, in the south of Taiwan, bound for Penghu's Magong airport.
The flight had taken off from Kaohsiung, in the south of Taiwan, bound for Penghu's Magong airport. Jean Shen, director general of the CAA, said Magong air traffic controllers had lost contact with the flight during its go-around, when it was around 300 feet above the ground. She added that two flights had arrived safely just before GE222.
Jean Shen, director general of the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA), said Magong air traffic controllers had lost contact with the flight during its go-around, when it was about 90 metres (300ft) above the ground. Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) reported that the pilot had been asked to wait until 7.06pm before being allowed to make his first attempt at landing. It is not clear what caused the delay or why his initial attempt failed.
The Central News Agency reported that the pilot had been asked to wait until 7.06pm before being allowed to make his first attempt at landing. The twin engine turboprop ATR-72 was due to take off at 4pm and arrive at Magong at 4.35pm, but did not leave Kaohsiung until 5.45pm, according to CNA. It was another hour and 20 minutes before it made its initial landing attempt.
The Aviation Safety Council has called an emergency meeting to look into the cause of the accident. The Aviation Safety Council has called an emergency meeting to look into the cause of the accident. Its head, Wang Hsing-chung, told CNA it was unclear whether bad weather or human error was to blame.
The 14-year-old twin engine turboprop ATR-72 was due to take off at 4pm and arrive at Magong at 4.35pm, but did not leave Kaohsiung until 5.45pm, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency. It was another hour and 20 minutes before its initial landing attempt. In its statement, TransAsia Airways added that it was sparing no efforts to help its passengers and their families. It had also begun assisting the CAA and ASC investigation.
It added that the plane had been in use for 13 years. It was in the hands of pilot Lee Yi-liang, who had 22 years of experience and almost 23,000 flying hours on his record, and co-pilot Chiang Kuan-hsing, who had 2.5 years of flying experience and just under 2,400 hours. The flight had 54 passengers and four crew on board.
According to the Flightradar24 website, TransAsia Airways had cancelled almost all of its flights on Wednesday, presumably because of the bad weather.According to the Flightradar24 website, TransAsia Airways had cancelled almost all of its flights on Wednesday, presumably because of the bad weather.
The flight had 54 passengers and four crew on board. China's state broadcaster CCTV reported that four of the travellers were children. Taiwanese media said the pilot and co-pilot each had more than 20,000 flying hours on their record.
A spokesman for the Taiwanese president, Ma Ying-jeou, said he had been informed of the crash and was saddened by the tragedy. He had contacted the premier and the cabinet was setting up an emergency control centre.A spokesman for the Taiwanese president, Ma Ying-jeou, said he had been informed of the crash and was saddened by the tragedy. He had contacted the premier and the cabinet was setting up an emergency control centre.
The defence department had dispatched 200 troops, eight ambulances and two fire trucks to the scene, Taiwan's Now News reported. The defence department had dispatched 200 troops to the scene to assist, Taiwan's Now News reported.
Kaohsiung municipal government told Now News it had been in touch with TransAsia and requested the detailed list of passengers and crew members. A team from the CAA, aviation experts and relatives of the victims are due to fly to Magong on Thursday. Kaohsiung municipal government told Now News it had been in touch with TransAsia and requested the detailed list of passengers and crew members. A team from the CAA, aviation experts and relatives of the victims are due to fly to Magong on Thursday.
Taiwan's weather agency said typhoon Matmo had brought gusts of up to 67mph (108km/h) as it blew through on Wednesday morning, knocking out power to more than 30,000 homes, before moving towards south-east China. Forecasters had warned that heavy rains would continue into the evening. Taiwan's weather agency said typhoon Matmo had brought gusts of up to 67mph (108km/h) as it blew through on Wednesday, knocking out power to more than 30,000 homes, before moving towards south-east China. Forecasters had warned heavy rains would continue into the evening.
On the mainland, Fujian province officials said they had evacuated 300,000 people, but the typhoon weakened to a tropical storm as it reached the area.On the mainland, Fujian province officials said they had evacuated 300,000 people, but the typhoon weakened to a tropical storm as it reached the area.
In 2000, 83 of the 179 on board a Singapore Airlines flight died when it attempted to take off from the wrong runway at Taipei's Chiang Kai-shek international airport during a typhoon. In 2000, 83 of the 179 on board a Singapore Airlines flight died when it attempted to take off from the wrong runway at Taipei's Chiang Kai-shek international airport as a typhoon approached.
The worst air crash in Taiwanese history took place two years earlier, again in bad weather, when a China Airlines jet from Bali failed in a first attempt to land at Taipei because of rain and fog, but stalled during the go-round and crashed into houses. All 196 on board and seven people on the ground died. The worst air crash in Taiwanese history took place two years earlier, when a China Airlines jet from Bali failed in a first attempt to land at Taipei because of rain and fog, but stalled during the go-round and crashed into houses. All 196 on board and seven people on the ground died.