BISHKEK (TCA) — A Turkish cargo plane crashed at about 7.31 am today near Bishkek’s Manas airport in Kyrgyzstan.
The crashed Boeing 747 was flying from Hong Kong to Istanbul with a refuel in Manas airport, the 24.kg news agency reported.
The plane fell on a nearby village, killing more than 20 people and destroying 15 houses, according to the press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyzstan’s Health Minister Talantbek Batyraliyev told 24.kg that 32 people, including four members of the crew, have died in the plane’s crash.
In his words, eight people including children have been injured and have been hospitalized.
Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Transport and Roads, Jamshit Kalilov, told 24.kg about a preliminary reason of the crash. In his words, the plane failed to fit into the airport’s runway due to technical problems or bad weather conditions.
Members of the Kyrgyz government, including First Vice Prime Minister Mukhammetkaliy Abulgaziev, the Minister of Transport and Roads, and the Minister of Emergency Situations, arrived at the site of the crash.
Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov has also arrived at the crash site, the Government’s press service said.
All departures and arrivals of planes at the Manas airport have been suspended, the International Airport Manas JSC told 24.kg news agency.
