A Boeing 737 passenger plane carrying 132 people on board on Monday, 21 March, crashed in China, the country's aviation authority announced on its website.
Earlier, reports had indicated that there were 133 people on board. However, official numbers now state that the plane was carrying 123 passengers and nine crew members.
According to CCTV, the Eastern Airlines plane crashed in China's Guangxi province.
No survivors have been found as of Tuesday, 22 March, while search and rescue operations are underway.
Chinese state media reported that the crash caused a fire in the woods, which was later put out, according to China's Central Television, Bloomberg reported.
Flight MU5735 was reportedly flying from Kunming to Guangzhou, an estimated two-hour flight path.
Data from global flight tracker Flightradar24 showed that the plane dropped down from 29,100 ft in just one minute.
China's Civil Aviation Administration has activated the emergency mechanism and dispatched a working group to the scene. State-run media outlet People's Daily reported that parts of the wreckage of the missing aircraft had been found.
According to Fortune, shares of Boeing fell 6.8 percent to $179.97 in pre-market US trading.
China Eastern said it will ground all of its Boeing 737-800 jets from Tuesday, 22 March. China Eastern also changed its website colours to black and white on Monday as a sign of mourning.
Shocked by Crash, Says Chinese Prez Xi Jinping
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that he was shocked by Monday's crash, adding that a thorough investigation would be conducted to look into the cause, AFP reported.
"We are shocked to learn of the China Eastern MU5735 accident," CCTV reported Jinping as saying. The Chinese premier also said that "all efforts" would be made to rescue the survivors and to find out the "cause of the accident as soon as possible".
PM Modi Offers Condolences
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media on Monday evening to offer his condolences.
"Deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the crash of the passenger flight MU5735 with 132 on board in China’s Guangxi. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the crash and their family members," he said.
Later, Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong took to Twitter to thank PM Modi.
"Thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian friends for your prayers & sympathy for the loss in the air crash. Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered all-out search & rescue efforts & proper settlement of aftermath. Mourn for the victims, deep condolences to their families."
India Puts Boeing 737 Fleets on 'Enhanced Surveillance'
The chief of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Arun Kumar, said on Monday that all Boeing 737 fleets of Indians are put being put on 'enhanced surveillance' after the plane crash in China, reported PTI.
SpiceJet, Vistara, and Air India Express have Boeing 737 aircraft in their fleets.
"Flight safety is serious business and we are closely studying the situation. In the interim, we are focusing on enhanced surveillance of our 737 fleet," he said.
Boeing's Woes
The aircraft involved in Monday's crash is not a Boeing MAX jet, the make which has been in the news after several fatal crashes. In early 2019, regulators across the world banned flying 737 Max planes after two fatal accidents in Ethiopia and Indonesia killed 346 people. India's DGCA had banned Boeing 737 Max planes in the country in March 2019.
Ever since then, the aircraft manufacturer has been modifying the 737 MAX, seeking clearance for passenger operations from several countries' aviation regulators.
After the ban, around 175 nations gave the 737 MAX clearance to begin its service, with the US and the UK already approving the aircraft for flying with comprehensive repairs. India, too, had lifted the ban 27 months later in August 2021.
China is now the only major market where regulators are yet to give the MAX a go-ahead.
(With inputs from AFP, Bloomberg, CCTV and Fortune.)
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