Pakistan

Turkish plane crash kills 37 in Kyrgyzstan

The plane was attempting a landing at the Manas airport in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek in thick fog

Afp January 17, 2017

rescue teams are seen at the crash site of a turkish cargo jet near kyrgyzstan 039 s manas airport outside bishkek january 16 2017 reuters vladimir pirogov

Rescue teams are seen at the crash site of a Turkish cargo jet near Kyrgyzstan's Manas airport outside Bishkek, January 16, 2017. REUTERS/Vladimir Pirogov

DACHA SUU: A cargo plane attempting to land in thick fog crashed on Monday into a village near Kyrgyzstan’s main airport and killed at least 37 people, with authorities blaming ‘pilot error’.

A massive section of the aircraft’s tail billowed smoke as rescuers searched for victims among the wreckage in the village of Dacha-Suu, home to the majority of the victims.

“According to preliminary information, the plane crashed due to a pilot error,” Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Muhammetkaly Abulgaziev said at a briefing broadcast on state television.

A minimum of 37 people, including the plane’s four pilots, were killed and the toll may rise, said a spokesman for the emergency services, Muhammed Svarov.

The plane, operated by a Turkish cargo airline, was attempting a landing at the Manas airport in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek in thick fog.

One of the plane’s black boxes was recovered from the crash site, the government said in a statement without specifying how long it would take to decipher it.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2017.