Bishkek, Turkish airplane crashes into houses: at least 32 dead

It had left Hong Kong bound for Istanbul. The cause of the disaster seem to be the weather. The plane crashed into about 15 houses, killing entire families, some caught in their sleep. The Kyrgyz president has interrupted a trip to China to return immediately to the capital.

 


Bishkek (AsiaNews / Agencies) - A Turkish plane this morning crashed into some houses near the airport of the Kyrgyz capital killing at least 32 people, including six children.

The ACT Airlines plane had left Hong Kong at 3.12 (where he was registered as a Turkish Airlines flight TK6491) and was headed for Istanbul. At 7:40 (local time) the plane, a 14 year old Boeing 747, had to make a stop-over at the Manas airport (near Bishkek), but crashed into a group of houses in the village of Datcha-Suu. Witnesses said the plane exploded burning several houses.

A spokesman for the Ministry for Emergencies, Mukhammed Svárov, , said that the disaster was due to "bad weather." The weather this morning in Bishkek was characterized by temperatures of - 11 ° C and dense fog.

According to news on social networks, the plane crashed into about 15 houses, killing entire families, some still caught in their sleep.

All flights into Bishkek have been canceled and Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaiev has interrupted a trip to China to return immediately to the capital.