China Eastern Airlines Boeing with 132 on Board Crashes

A China Eastern Airlines passenger jet is seen at the Beijing airport. Reuters file photo
A China Eastern Airlines passenger jet is seen at the Beijing airport. Reuters file photo
TT

China Eastern Airlines Boeing with 132 on Board Crashes

A China Eastern Airlines passenger jet is seen at the Beijing airport. Reuters file photo
A China Eastern Airlines passenger jet is seen at the Beijing airport. Reuters file photo

A China Eastern Airlines passenger jet with 132 people on board crashed in the mountains of southern China on Monday while on a flight from the city of Kunming to Guangzhou, China's Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said.

The jet involved in the accident was a Boeing 737 aircraft and the number of casualties was not immediately known, state broadcaster CCTV said. Rescue services were on their way to the scene, it said. There was no word on the cause of the crash.

The plane was a 6-year-old 737-800 aircraft, according to Flightradar24.

The CAAC said the aircraft lost contact over the city of Wuzhou. It had 123 passengers and nine crew on board. State media said earlier there were 133 people on board.

"The CAAC has activated the emergency mechanism and sent a working group to the scene," it said in a statement.

Media cited a rescue official as saying the plane had completely disintegrated. A fire sparked by the crash burned down bamboo and trees before being put out.

The flight departed the southwestern city of Kunming at 1:11 p.m. (0511 GMT), FlightRadar24 data showed, and had been due to land in Guangzhou, on the south coast, at 3:05 p.m. (0705 GMT).

The plane had been cruising at an altitude 29,100 feet at 0620 GMT, according to FlightRadar24 data. Just over two minutes and 15 seconds later, the next available data showed it had descended to 9,075 feet. In another 20 seconds, its last tracked altitude was 3,225 feet.



Revolutionary Guard Displays Power in Tehran Streets

Basij Forces in military display in Tehran, January 10, 2024 (AP)
Basij Forces in military display in Tehran, January 10, 2024 (AP)
TT

Revolutionary Guard Displays Power in Tehran Streets

Basij Forces in military display in Tehran, January 10, 2024 (AP)
Basij Forces in military display in Tehran, January 10, 2024 (AP)

Thousands of Iranian Revolutionary Guard members participated in the “Walkers to Jerusalem” march in Tehran on Friday, displaying military vehicles and heavy weapons to show their readiness to face threats against Iran.
The march, which began in the morning, included Basij forces, a branch of the Revolutionary Guard.
In his speech, Gen. Mohammad Reza Naghdi, a senior Guard official, said the US is “responsible for all the troubles of the Muslim world.”
He added, “If we destroy the Zionist regime and remove US bases from the region, one of our main problems will be solved,” referring to Israel, Iran’s main enemy.
Men in military uniforms marched the streets in Tehran, while others rode motorcycles and vehicles, some carrying rocket launchers.
The crowds waved flags of Iran, Palestine, and Hezbollah, the Lebanese group backed by Tehran.
Participants also held images of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and figures from the “Axis of Resistance,” a network of armed groups supported by Iran.
Iranian-made missiles, drones, and other military gear were displayed on Tehran’s streets.
Brig. Gen. Hasan Hassanzadeh, head of the Revolutionary Guard in Tehran, told state TV that the march aimed to show support for Gaza and Palestine.
“We also want to show that Basij forces are ready to face any threat from the enemies of the Iranian revolution,” he added.
Iran has not recognized Israel and has supported the Palestinian cause since the 1979 revolution.