Rescuers search the site of a recent plane crash in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 28, 2022. Search work at the site of the recent plane crash in south China is continuing after the second black box was found on Sunday, an official said at a press briefing on Monday afternoon.(Photo: Xinhua)

 

Rescuers search the site of a recent plane crash in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 28, 2022. Search work at the site of the recent plane crash in south China is continuing after the second black box was found on Sunday, an official said at a press briefing on Monday afternoon.(Photo: Xinhua)

 
Search work at the site of the recent plane crash in south China is continuing after the second black box was found on Sunday, an official said at a press briefing on Monday afternoon.

As of Monday noon, a total of 15,640 people had been sent to search the core site and surrounding areas of the plane crash, covering around 370,000 square meters, said Zhu Tao, head of the aviation safety office of the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

A total of 36,001 pieces of plane wreckage and parts have been recovered, he added.

At the exterior of the core site, five drone search groups have also been added to aid the search, covering an area of around 9.55 million square meters.

The Boeing 737 aircraft, which departed from Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, and was bound for Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, crashed into a mountainous area in Tengxian County, Guangxi, at around 2:38 p.m. on March 21. All 132 people on board the plane were killed.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday afternoon paid tribute to the victims killed in the MU5735 plane crash.

 

Photo:People's Daily

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China is holding an event to mourn the victims of the China Eastern Airlines plane crash.

Flight MU5735 crashed on March 21 in southern China, killing all 132 passengers and crew on board.

Photo:CCTV

 

Photo:CCTV

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Photo:CCTV

 

Photo:CCTV

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The second black box, or flight data recorder, of the crashed China Eastern MU5737 Boeing 737-800, was found  on Sunday morning, according to Xinhua News Agency, and the two black boxes are expected to provide some clues that might explain the tragic crash.

CCTV reported it was found beneath a 1.5-meter layer of soil at the crash site.

The first black box was found from the crash site in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Wednesday night, days after the crash happened.

But Chinese officials said  the possibility of damage to the storage unit of the first black box cannot be ruled out.

Victims of crashed China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735, RIP! Graphic:GT

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In an update late Saturday night, officials announced that all 132 people  ̶ 123 passengers and 9 crew members  ̶  onboard flight MU5735, which crashed on Monday in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, have been confirmed dead, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Implementing requirements from the Central Committee of Communist Party of China and State Council, China's cabinet, the state emergency command response team has coordinated efforts across firefighting departments, the People's Liberation Army, People's Armed Forces and public security organs to carry out a thorough investigation at the crash site for six consecutive days. 

And by studying and cross examining data from a range of devices such as the radar, monitoring images and especially the investigation and analysis from the wreckage site, experts concluded that there had been no evidence that anyone could have survived the crash.

The identities of 120 of these victims have been determined using DNA technology.

Rescuers conduct search and rescue work at the core site of the plane crash in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 25, 2022.Photo:Xinhua

No survivors have been found, and the aircraft's second black box has yet to be recovered six days after the fatal incident, according to press conference held on Saturday afternoon near the crash site in Wuzhou, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

According to one official, an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was retrieved, according to Zhu Tao, director of aviation safety office of the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

The installation of ELT is close to that of the second black box, the flight data recorder, Zhu added. 

Identities of 120 crash victims including 114 passengers and six crew members have been confirmed as of Saturday. The remains and belongings of the victims have been properly stored. 

Search and rescue efforts remain underway despite officials stating that search and rescue work is facing great difficulties, brought by the huge impact on the search near the core area and continuous rainfall, potentially posing a landslide risk in the area surrounding the crash site. 

Rescuers conduct search and rescue work at a plane crash site in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 24, 2022.Photo:Xinhua

Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong on Friday called for efforts in conducting on-site search and rescue work in a scientific and orderly manner following the crash of a passenger plane carrying 132 people.

Wang urged timely and accurate release of information and better coordination of epidemic prevention and control as well as emergency response.

Effective search and rescue efforts should be stepped up around the main impact point, Wang noted.

It is necessary to speed up the search for aircraft wreckage, remains and all kinds of physical evidence, and make every effort to search for the second black box, said Wang.

The plane crashed on March 21 in a village in Guangxi's Tengxian County.

Rescuers conduct search and rescue work at the China Eastern Airlines' flight MU5735 crash site in Tengxian county, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on March 25, 2022. Photo: VCG

A sudden nosedive of the China Eastern Airlines jet has triggered wide discussions on the accident's cause, and Chinese aviation experts said the pilot losing control of the airplane could be one of the reasons behind the disaster.

One of the reasons for the sudden fall could be a sudden failure of the flight control system, resulting in a nosedive, Huang Jun, a professor of School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering with Beihang University, told the Global Times on Friday.  

Huang also said the aircraft's body would be damaged immediately, resulting in a loss of lift or control, that such move is commonly referred to as air disintegration. But air disintegration does not mean breaking into pieces.

There may be other mechanical failures in the aircraft, he added. 

Wang Ya'nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge, earlier shared a similar prediction.

Rescuers conduct search and rescue work at a plane crash site in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 24, 2022. Photo: Xinhua

A preliminary investigation report in English and Chinese will be submitted to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) within 30 days after the recent plane crash, according to a press conference on Friday afternoon. 

According to the regulations, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) needs to submit a preliminary investigation report to the ICAO within 30 days of the accident occurring. The investigation team will conduct accident investigations in accordance with the requirements, Mao Yanfeng, director of the CAAC's accident investigation unit, said at a press conference on Friday in Wuzhou, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Search and rescue work is still the most important task, and the search team is watching camera footage and talking to witnesses while trying to find further clues. 

Although no survivors have yet been found, we have never given up on finding survivors, said Zhu Tao, director of the aviation safety office of CAAC. 

It is the fourth day since China Eastern's Boeing 737-800 plane crashed, plunging people across the country into grief as there were 132 people on board, including nine crew members. 

Rescuers conduct search and rescue work at a plane crash site in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 24, 2022. Photo: Xinhua

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it is working with the US, Chinese governments to solve visa and COVID quarantine issues before participating in crash investigation efforts in China.

Travel to China is currently limited by visa and COVID quarantine requirements, and the NTSB is working with the Department of State to address these issues with the Chinese government before any travel will be determined, according to an e-mail reply sent to the Global Times on Thursday, regarding an invitation to participate in the China Eastern Boeing 737-800 accident investigation.

The NTSB was notified of the accident on Monday by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), and the accredited representative and technical advisors have been appointed, and they are in contact with the CAAC investigator-in-charge, NTSB said. 

China ended a record of 4,227 safe flight days in after a China Eastern Boeing 737 with 132 people onboard crashed Monday afternoon in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Regarding an invitation to participate in the China Eastern Boeing 737-800 accident investigation, under the provisions of the International Civil Aviation Organization's Annex 13, the State of Design and Manufacture (in this case, the US) is entitled to appoint an accredited representative to participate in the investigation, NTSB said.

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Minutes after the CAAC Journal, the newspaper directly under the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) reported that the second black box, flight data recorder of the crashed Chinese Eastern plane, has been found Friday morning, the Xinhua News Agency said the flight data recorder is not yet found, and the search is still ongoing. 

Xinhua said that the relevant news will be subjected to be released at a press conference.

Rescuers conduct search and rescue work at a plane crash site in Tengxian County, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on March 24, 2022. Photo: Xinhua

More aircraft wreckage and human remains of the victims were found on Thursday at the crash site in the forested mountain in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the fourth day after the plane with 132 people on board crashed on Monday afternoon.  

Chinese officials also said the possibility of damage to the storage unit of the black box they have already found -- a cockpit voice recorder -- cannot be ruled out. The officials said they are going all-out in search of the second black box.

As of 15:30 on Thursday, a total of 21 pieces of belongings of the victims, 183 pieces of plane wreckage and some human remains have been found, according to the press conference near the crash site in Wuzhou of Guangxi on Thursday.

It is the fourth press release since the crash happened on Monday.

The main debris that has been found include an engine blade and turbine fragments, engine pylon fragments, left and right horizontal tail fragments, aileron autopilot actuators and wing fragments with partial wing-tip winglets. 

Rescue work is underway in Tengxian county,South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on March 21, 2022 after the air crash. Photo: VCG

As of 3:30pm on Thursday, a total of 21 possessions of the victims, 183 pieces of plane wreckage and some of the human remains of the victims had been found and handed over to the investigation team, according to the latest press conference on Thursday afternoon related to the crash of China Eastern Airlines flight MU5735.

The main impact point of the Boeing 737 crash has been basically determined, said the press conference, noting that most of the wreckage is concentrated in a core area with a radius of about 30 meters around the main impact point, and the depth extends about 20 meters under the surface.

The main debris recovered includes engine blade and turbine fragments, engine pylon fragments, left and right horizontal tail fragments, aileron autopilot actuators and wing fragments with partial wing-tip winglets, and crew escape ropes and crew manual fragments, as well as some crew certificates found in the cockpit. 

Investigators are still at the crash site to continue the investigation and evidence collection, as the next step to find the cause of the accident.

Rescuers have been braving the rain to clear landslide debris and waterlogging while continuing the search and rescue work at the site where a passenger plane with 132 people aboard crashed in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Monday afternoon.

It has been raining continuously since Wednesday evening at the crash site of the China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737 aircraft in a mountainous area of Tengxian County, Guangxi.

By 11 a.m. Thursday, rescuers had cleared landslide debris, but the rain-soaked soil continued to make travel on foot difficult. They have laid bamboo frames on the ground to facilitate the rescue work.

In the core area of the accident site, excavators and other equipment are ready to resume work.

The regional meteorological bureau at 8 a.m. Thursday forecast small to moderate rainfall in Tengxian over the next 12 hours, with accumulated rainfall of 5 to 8 mm and a temperature of 12 to 18 degrees Celsius.

Rescuers recover one of the crashed plane's black boxes on March 23, 2022, which has been identified as the cockpit voice recorder. The flight data recorder is yet to be found. Photo: VCG

Searchers announced the recovery of one of the two black boxes, and human tissue debris from the crash site of China Eastern Airlines flight MU5735 on Wednesday night, three days after the Boeing 737-800 nosedived from cruising altitude and crashed into a forested hillside, raising hopes of providing evidence to find the cause of the crash.

As of 7 pm Wednesday, fire and rescue personnel have searched a total area of 46,000 square meters and found some aircraft wreckage and human tissue fragments, which have been transferred to the investigation working group, Zhu Tao, director of aviation safety office of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said at a press conference near the crash site in Wuzhou, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Wednesday night. 

One of the black boxes found on Wednesday has been identified as the cockpit voice recorder. The black box's recorder looks badly damaged from the outside, but its storage unit looks relatively intact, he added. 

It has been sent to a professional civil aviation agency in Beijing for decoding, Zhu noted. 

As of 7 pm Wed, rescuers have searched a total area of 46,000 square meters and found some aircraft wreckage and human tissue debris from crashed plane MU5735, which have been transferred to the investigation working team: official at a news conference on Wednesday night.

flight MU5735 Photo:CFP

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As of 7 pm Wednesday, rescuers have searched a total area of 46,000 square meters and found some aircraft wreckage and human tissue debris following the crash of flight MU5735. The items have been transferred to the investigation working team, officials said on Wednesday night. 

One of the crashed plane's two black boxes found on Wednesday afternoon has been identified as the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), according to a news conference held in Wuzhou, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Wednesday. 

The black box, which was installed in the cockpit of the aircraft and recorded conversations, has been sent to a professional civil aviation agency in Beijing for decoding.

The CVR looks badly damaged from the outside, but its storage unit looks relatively intact, said Zhu Tao, director of the aviation safety office of the CAAC on Wednesday night. If the black box's internal memory unit has been damaged, it may take longer to decode. 

A worker wearing a protective suit prepares to assist people outside a hotel that has been designated to accommodate families of people onboard the crashed China Eastern aircraft in Tengxian county, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on March 22, 2022. Photo: VCG

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No survivors from the crashed China Eastern flight MU5735 have been found 30 hours after the accident, and the cause of the crash is not yet known, Chinese officials said on Tuesday night.  

The aircraft sustained severe damage from the impact, which increased the difficulty in searching. As the investigation into the crash has just started, it is still impossible to make a clear judgment on the cause of the accident, said Zhu Tao, an official from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), at a press conference in Wuzhou, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, close to the scene of the search operation. 

There were 123 passengers and nine crew members onboard the aircraft, which crashed on Monday afternoon en route from Kunming of Yunnan Province to Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Leaders and senior officials from many countries have sent condolences to China. 

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and State Councilor Wang Yong led a team to the plane crash site late Monday to guide the search operation the investigation into the cause of the accident. 

A China Eastern Boeing 737 aircraft File photo: VCG

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China's civil aviation sector is taking multiple concrete measures to beef up flight safety after a China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737 with 132 people on board crashed Monday afternoon, as experts warned of a short-term impact from fear of air travel could further dent the sector, already one of the worst-hit by the COVID-19 epidemic.

As a swift reaction to Monday's accident, airlines beefed up flight safety, following the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)'s order to strengthen aviation safety measures including stronger leadership in safety work, enhanced risk prevention and control, strictly enforcing regulations and operational standards, and fulfilling safety supervision responsibilities.

The CAAC ordered the industry to immediately carry out a 2-week industry safety inspection, aiming to strengthen scrutiny over potential hazards and ensure the safety of aviation operations and people's lives.

Sources from a major carrier in China told the Global Times on Tuesday that  airlines have also been optimizing the deployment of the crew, and airlines are taking measures to alleviate the psychological stress of crew members in the wake of the accident.

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No survivors from China Eastern Airlines flight MU5735 which crashed on Monday afternoon have been found as of 9 pm Tuesday, 30 hours after the accident, said the State Council investigation team at a news conference on Tuesday night in Wuzhou, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. 

As of Tuesday night, search and rescue at the crash site is ongoing. More than 2,000 rescuers have arrived at the site from Guangxi, where the accident took place, and from other provinces. 

Previous releases showed that there were 123 passengers and 9 crew members, including three pilots, five crew members and one safety officer on board. There were no foreign passengers.

According to the release at the news conference, the crashed flight, MU5735, departed Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province at 1:16 pm Monday. At 2:17 pm, it entered Guangzhou air traffic control area at a cruising altitude of 8,900 meters. At 2:20 pm, the ground controller found a sharp drop in its altitude and repeatedly called the crew, but did not receive any reply. 

Photo taken with a mobile phone shows a police officer conducting search and rescue work around the plane crash site in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 21, 2022. A passenger plane with 132 people aboard crashed in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Monday afternoon, said the regional emergency management department. (Xinhua)

 
Rescue work continued on Tuesday after a passenger plane with 132 people aboard crashed in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Monday afternoon.

Over 2,000 people have been sent to the site as part of the rescue efforts.

Since the site of the crash is located in a mountain forest, the search for the black box relies on both drones and rescue staff.

Zhu Xiaodong, a rescuer with a drone rescue center in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province and also the destination of the plane, said at the site that it is difficult to carry out rescue work as there are only a few paths leading to the site.

At around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, light rain fell over the rescue site. The local meteorological department forecast that more rain would hit the area from Tuesday to Thursday, which might adversely affect the search efforts.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday extended deep sadness and sympathy over the Chinese passenger plane crash to visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Qureshi, on behalf of the Pakistani government, offered deep condolences and sympathy to the bereaved Chinese families in the incident while meeting Wang here on Monday.

While expressing gratitude to Qureshi, Wang said the Chinese government and people feel deeply sad about the air crash, adding that the Chinese aviation has been among the world's safest ones, and that the Chinese authorities are sparing no effort in the search and rescue operations and will find out the cause of the crash as soon as possible.

Wang arrived in the Pakistani capital on Monday to attend the 48th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held in Islamabad, and for a visit to Pakistan.

A China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737 passenger plane with 132 people aboard on a domestic flight crashed in southern China on Monday afternoon.

Boeing China said Tuesday that it is cooperating with China Eastern Airlines and will provide support after a Boeing 737 passenger plane crashed Monday afternoon.

The company is keeping in contact with the National Transportation Safety Board in the United States, said Boeing China, adding that its technical experts are ready to aid the Civil Aviation Administration of China in conducting the investigation.

A passenger plane with 132 people aboard crashed in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Monday afternoon.

The China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737 aircraft, which departed from Kunming and was bound for Guangzhou, crashed into a mountainous area near the Molang village in Tengxian County in the city of Wuzhou at 2:38 p.m., causing a mountain fire.

Rescue work is underway in Tengxian county,South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on March 21, 2022 after the air crash. Photo: VCG

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Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and State Councilor Wang Yong led a team to the plane crash site in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region late Monday to guide the rescue work and investigation of the cause of the accident. 

After continuous search and rescue, parts of wreckage and debris of the passenger plane, China Eastern's Boeing 737, were found, but the missing people on board have not yet been found. Scattered and burnt ID documents, wallets and other items of people who were on the plane were spotted.

The plane with 132 people onboard crashed earlier on Monday afternoon in a mountainous village in Tengxian county, in Guangxi's Wuzhou. The fire caused by the crashed plane was stamped out. 

The rescue was made overnight. To facilitate rescue operations, a drone mobile base station has been set up, and the base station can guarantee a flight of more than 200 meters and remain in the air for 24 hours. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the crash and their family members," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, expressing his shock and sadness over the plane crash in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Monday.

"We share the grief of our Chinese brothers and sisters and convey our deepest condolences and sympathies with the bereaved families," Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said after China Eastern's Boeing 737 crash.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh expressed his condolences to the Chinese government and people following the crash of a passenger plane in S China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Monday, according to IRNA News Agency.

Rescue team at the crash site Photo: VCG

China's civil aviation regulator immediately activated its emergency response mechanism upon receiving reports of the fatal accident on Monday and called for an investigation on potential safety hazards after the crash.

China Eastern's Boeing 737 with 132 people onboard crashed earlier on Monday afternoon in Tengxian county, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, causing a fire in the mountainous area. 

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) sent a working group to the scene to conduct an investigation and issued two circulars to practitioners on strengthening aviation safety measures, after Chinese leaders issued guidance on the incident.

The CAAC called for strengthening the organizational leadership of safety work, enhancing risk prevention and control, strictly enforcing regulations and operational standards, and fulfilling safety supervision responsibilities.

Crash site of a China Eastern's Boeing737 in Tengxian county, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on March 21, 2022 Photo: Xinhua

China ended a record of 4,227 safe flight days in the history of civil aviation worldwide after a China Eastern Boeing 737 with 132 people onboard crashed Monday afternoon in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, causing a mountain fire. 

Although no casualties have been reported yet, it is believed that there is little chance of survival for those onboard, as flight data showed the plane lost its radar information two minutes after it suddenly descended from cruising altitude of around 8,869 meters. An unverified video circulated online showed the plane almost vertically fell to the forest.

This is the first air crash in China since a fatal incident took place in Yichun, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province back in 2010. The Yichun crash killed 44 people.

Shortly after the accident, Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered all-out search and rescue efforts, according to Xinhua News Agency. Xi ordered the immediate launch of an emergency response, all-out search and rescue efforts and the proper settlement of the aftermath.

Rescuers set out to the plane crash site of Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 21, 2022. A passenger plane with 132 people aboard crashed in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Monday afternoon, said the regional emergency management department. Photo: Xinhua

 

Photo taken with a mobile phone shows the plane crash site in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 21, 2022. Photo: Xinhua

 

Photo taken with a mobile phone shows a police officer conducting search and rescue work around the plane crash site in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 21, 2022. Photo: Xinhua

 

Photo taken with a mobile phone shows rescuers conducting search and rescue work around the plane crash site in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 21, 2022. Photo: Xinhua

 

Photo taken with a mobile phone shows rescuers conducting search and rescue work around the plane crash site in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 21. Photo: Xinhua

 

Rescuers assembled to approach the site. Photo: People's Daily

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for the immediate activation of the emergency mechanism for the plane crash, sparing no efforts on search and rescue, and properly handling of the aftermath.

The State Council - China's cabinet - will assign officials to deal with the accident as a priority, identify the cause as soon as possible, and strengthen the investigation of safety hazards in civil aviation sector to ensure the absolute safety of aviation operations and people's lives in the future, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday afternoon. 

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called for all-out efforts to search for survivors and treat the injured, and emphasized the need to reassure and serve the families of the victims.

Li asked relevant departments to seriously identify the cause of the accident and take strong measures to strengthen civil aviation safety management.

According to the instruction, the CAAC, the Ministry of Emergency Management and other relevant departments have sent working groups to the scene to guide the on-the-scene handling of the accident, and dispatched rescue forces on the provincial level and from the neighboring province of Guangdong. The handling of the aftermath and the investigation of the cause of the accident are under way.

File Photo:IC

A China Eastern Boeing 737 with 132 people onboard crashed earlier Monday afternoon in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, causing a mountain fire. The number of casualties is not clear yet, the official website of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said on Monday afternoon. 

Shortly after the accident, Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered all-out search and rescue efforts. Xi ordered the immediate launch of an emergency response, all-out search and rescue efforts and the proper settlement of the aftermath, according to Xinhua New Agency. 

Xi ordered swift action to be taken to identify the cause of the crash and to strengthen the safety overhaul of the civil aviation sector to ensure the absolute safety of the sector and people's lives.  

The State Council - China's cabinet - will assign officials to deal with the accident as a priority, identify the cause as soon as possible, and strengthen the investigation of safety hazards in civil aviation sector to ensure the absolute safety of aviation operations and people's lives in the future, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday afternoon. 

Premier Li Keqiang urged efforts to console the families of the victims and provide them with assistance, release accurate information in a timely manner, conduct a serious probe into the incident, and take strong measures to strengthen the safety of civil aviation.