ID :
197808
Thu, 07/28/2011 - 09:03
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/197808
The shortlink copeid
Two pilots missing after Asiana cargo plane crashes off Jeju
(ATTN: UPDATES with missing pilots in lead; CORRECTS plane model in para 2; ADDS para 3, 5-8; CHANGES headline)
JEJU, South Korea, July 28 (Yonhap) -- A cargo plane operated by Asiana Airlines, South Korea's second-largest flagship carrier, crashed into the sea off Jeju Island early Thursday, leaving its two pilots missing, the Coast Guard said.
Debris of the Boeing-747 aircraft, which departed from Incheon International Airport at 3:05 a.m. heading for China's Pudong, was found in waters about 107 kilometers west of the city of Jeju by a Coast Guard patrol boat at 6:40 a.m., the Coast Guard said.
The Asiana plane disappeared from radar at 4:09 a.m. and crashed about 20 minutes later while returning to Jeju International Airport after reporting some mechanical trouble and a loss of control at an altitude of 7,600 feet, government and Asiana officials said.
The officials at Asiana and the transportation ministry said the crash may have been caused by an in-flight fire, noting that the plane was carrying inflammable materials in its 58-ton cargo.
"The crash is presumed to have been caused by the cargo catching on fire," a ministry official said in a press briefing. "Whether the plane exploded or not is unknown."
The exact cause of the crash, however, cannot be determined as of now, said the ministry official, adding the government has yet to find any violations of rules regarding limits on cargo volume.
The national investigative committee for airline and rail accidents will look into the crash to come up with an exact cause, the ministry said, adding, "Once the voice recorder and black box are secured, the cause will be determined."
JEJU, South Korea, July 28 (Yonhap) -- A cargo plane operated by Asiana Airlines, South Korea's second-largest flagship carrier, crashed into the sea off Jeju Island early Thursday, leaving its two pilots missing, the Coast Guard said.
Debris of the Boeing-747 aircraft, which departed from Incheon International Airport at 3:05 a.m. heading for China's Pudong, was found in waters about 107 kilometers west of the city of Jeju by a Coast Guard patrol boat at 6:40 a.m., the Coast Guard said.
The Asiana plane disappeared from radar at 4:09 a.m. and crashed about 20 minutes later while returning to Jeju International Airport after reporting some mechanical trouble and a loss of control at an altitude of 7,600 feet, government and Asiana officials said.
The officials at Asiana and the transportation ministry said the crash may have been caused by an in-flight fire, noting that the plane was carrying inflammable materials in its 58-ton cargo.
"The crash is presumed to have been caused by the cargo catching on fire," a ministry official said in a press briefing. "Whether the plane exploded or not is unknown."
The exact cause of the crash, however, cannot be determined as of now, said the ministry official, adding the government has yet to find any violations of rules regarding limits on cargo volume.
The national investigative committee for airline and rail accidents will look into the crash to come up with an exact cause, the ministry said, adding, "Once the voice recorder and black box are secured, the cause will be determined."
