Dozens dead as plane crashes on Taiwanese resort island of Penghu during storm
Aircraft ploughs into village and bursts into flames on resort island of Penghu after pilot attempts to make an emergency landing
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 23 July, 2014, 9:12pm
UPDATED : Thursday, 24 July, 2014, 5:44am
Lawrence Chung in Taipei [email protected]
Firefighters at the scene of the disaster. The plane came down with Taiwan still under the influence of Typhoon Matmo. Photo: SCMP
At least 47 people were killed and 11 injured in Taiwan yesterday when a local TransAsia Airways plane crashed on the beach resort island of Penghu in bad weather.
Initial findings blamed a failed emergency landing for the crash of the ATR-72 twin-engine turboprop short-haul plane, which was carrying 54 passengers, including four children, and four crew members.
Transport Minister Yeh Kang-shih confirmed late last night that two French nationals were among the passengers.
Local media said some victims were found underneath the plane, said to have shattered into three pieces, and seven of the 12 injured survivors had managed to claw through the wreckage.
Jean Shen, director general of the Civil Aeronautics Administration, said: "Flight GE222 was scheduled to take off from Siaogang Airport in Kaohsiung to Magong in Penghu at 4pm, but because of the [storm] it left Siaogang at 5.43pm.
"The [Magong airport] tower received a request for the plane to make a go-around at 7.06pm but lost contact with the flight from the radar."
She said that although there was a report of a thunderstorm, the plane was allowed to fly after weather and visibility clearance. It crashed in the village of Xixi, 1km from the runway. There were no reports of casualties on the ground.
Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou ordered immediate assistance for the victims' families and a thorough investigation. The airline apologised to victims' relatives and vowed to do all it could to help them.
Hong Kong's Immigration Department said it had not received calls for help from Hongkongers but would stay in touch with the city's trade and cultural office in Taipei.
The plane had been waiting permission to fly due to heavy rains on and off yesterday.
Taiwan was under the influence of Typhoon Matmo yesterday, which brought heavy rain when it hit the island's east coast.
Witnesses said the plane burst into flames after coming down.
The plane ploughed into buildings in Xixi village. Photo: SCMP
The tail fin from the stricken aircraft. Photo: SCMP Pictures
A Xixi resident said he heard a loud bang and saw flames three-storeys-high pouring from the plane. "It happened about 150 metres in front of my house," he said. "The plane crashed into a house, but luckily no one was inside."
Guesthouse owner Liu Chun-yao said: "It was raining very hard outside the whole afternoon. There was thunder and lightening, too, and very strong winds."
Hong Kong Travel Industry Council executive director Joseph Tung Yao-chung said Penghu was not a popular destination for Hongkongers. He had no information about the number of tourists there.
TransAsia Airways has a fleet of around 23 Airbus and ATR aircraft, flying chiefly on domestic routes.
Additional reporting by Nectar Gan and Danny Mok
