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Cuba plane crash leaves more than 100 dead

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May 19, 2018 12:09 IST

More than 100 passengers onboard Boeing 737 Cubana de Aviacion died after the plane crashed soon after it took off from Havana’s Jose Marti airport on Thursday.

IMAGE: A firefighter works in the wreckage of a Boeing 737 plane that crashed in the agricultural area of Boyeros, around 20 km south of Havana. Photograph: Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters

As reported by CNN, three passengers are said to be in a critical condition.

Further, a total of 104 passengers were said to be onboard.

The plane -- embarked for the eastern Cuban city of Holguin -- went down at 12:08 pm in an agricultural area in the Santiago de las Vegas neighborhood near the airport.

 

A team of search and rescue personnel is working at the location along with help of some locals.

IMAGE: Relatives of passengers travelling on the Boeing 737 plane that crashed shortly after taking off from Havana's main airport weep after hearing of the tragedy. Photograph: Juan Carreras Vidal/ACN/Reuters

Further, a photo has been circulated depicting a large plume of black smoke rising from a distance.

The aircraft for Flight DMJ 0972 had been rented by the Cuban airline.

Following the incident, Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel arrived at the location.

It was earlier reported that the flight was bound for Guyana.

Earlier, Cubana de Aviacion had to disown some aging flights due to their suspected malfunctioning.

The exact cause of the recent crash has not been ascertained.

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