International

Cuba Plane Crash: Over 100 Dead After Boeing 737 Crashes In Havana

Darpan News Desk, 18 May, 2018 05:21 PM

A Boeing 737 domestic passenger plane, with 104 passengers including five children and nine crew members from Havana to Holguin, came down shortly after takeoff.

Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel said there are three survivors, all women, who are in critical condition, reported news agency Reuters. Rescue operations are underway at the site; the fire has been put out and authorities are trying to identify the bodies.

Boeing, in a statement, said it was apprised of the crash and was closely monitoring the situation. According to flight tracker, the aircraft was CU972, which departed from Havana at 11 am local time.

Firefighters were trying to extinguish its smoldering remains. Government officials including President Miguel Diaz-Canel rushed to the site, along with a large number of emergency medical workers and ambulances. Residents of the rural area said they had seen some survivors being taken away in ambulances.

A military officer who declined to provide his name to reporters said that there appeared to have been only three survivors in critical condition, but other officials declined to confirm that figure.

The plane was rented by Cubana, which has taken many of its aging planes out of service in recent months due to mechanical problems. Cuba’s First Vice-President, Salvador Valdes Mesa, met Thursday with Cubana officials to discuss improvements in its heavily criticized service.

Harrowing video captures moments after passenger jet carrying 104 passengers hit the ground in Cuba, exploding into a massive fireball. https://t.co/AheZpJc6CO pic.twitter.com/XiFsGagjtC
— ABC News (@ABC) May 18, 2018

MORE: Eyewitness video shows the aftermath of a passenger jet carrying 104 passengers crashing shortly after takeoff in Cuba. So far, three survivors have been found among the wreckage. https://t.co/IAUjBl6fUe pic.twitter.com/CbIT0sXdII
— ABC News (@ABC) May 18, 2018

#Boeing737 crash in #Cuba:
- Plane ‘struck power line’
- Over 100 killed
- 3 survivors in hospitalhttps://t.co/CiTSFqEiED pic.twitter.com/WfXPGPSuNc
— RT (@RT_com) May 18, 2018

UPDATE: At least 100 people were killed in a plane crash near Havana, according to Cuban authorities. https://t.co/f5Beb4aIzn
— Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) May 18, 2018

#UPDATE More than 100 killed after Boeing 737 crashes in #Cuba https://t.co/mFwrmKscri pic.twitter.com/mqhC6Ehoyo
— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) May 18, 2018

Prev Next

MORE International ARTICLES

'Pakistan Banks Sent Funds To UAE To Finance 9/11, 26/11 Terror Attacks'

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE`s) recent decision to suspend ties with Qatar over its perceived support for terrorist elements and for not cutting off ties with Iran appears to have taken a fresh twist.

'Pakistan Banks Sent Funds To UAE To Finance 9/11, 26/11 Terror Attacks'

Pakistan Put On Notice On Terrorist Havens After Modi, Trump Meeting

The new direction in the bilateral relationship came during the summit meeting on Monday night between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump who met for the first time six months after the host's election to the top office.

Pakistan Put On Notice On Terrorist Havens After Modi, Trump Meeting

Italian Govt Allows Sikhs To Wear Specially Designed Kirpan

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said the model would be presented before the five high priests to take a final call.

Italian Govt Allows Sikhs To Wear Specially Designed Kirpan

British Sikh Couple Told They Cannot Adopt White Child Because Of ‘Cultural Heritage'

Sandeep and Reena Mander, who are British-born and live in Berkshire, said that they were rejected by a local adoption agency, Adopt Berkshire, "as only white children were available", the Daily Mail reported on Tuesday.

British Sikh Couple Told They Cannot Adopt White Child Because Of ‘Cultural Heritage'

US Supreme Court Reinstates Part Of Trump Travel Ban

The US Supreme Court on Monday partially reinstated President Donald Trump's controversial travel ban targeting citizens from six predominantly Muslim countries, before examining the case in full this autumn.

US Supreme Court Reinstates Part Of Trump Travel Ban

'Pakistan's Concept Of Sharia Has Nothing To Do With Islam'

Pakistan's concept of Sharia has nothing to do with Islam," said Shiraz Ahmad in his address at a seminar on "Human Rights abuses in Pakistan" organised by the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library in collaboration with the Asian-Eurasian Human Rights Forum.