At least 25 dead as Taiwan plane plunges into river

Last updated on: February 04, 2015 21:27 IST

The plane clips a bridge after take off

A Taiwanese TransAsia Airways plane crashed into a river near the capital, Taipei, after clipping a bridge shortly after take-off.

Around 58 people were onboard the domestic flight, and a number of people were reportedly injured. Taiwan's civil aviation authority said at least 25 people were killed. The front part, where 17 people are believed to be trapped, was still in the water.

TransAsia said 16 survivors had been pulled out of the wreckage after the turboprop plane crashed. Many of the passengers were mainland Chinese tourists.

Rescuers pull a passenger out of the TransAsia Airways plane which crash landed in a river, in New Taipei City. Photograph: Pichi Chuang/Reuters

Taiwan’s Central News Agency showed a picture of a plane almost submerged in the Keelung river.

Rescuers carry out a rescue operation after a TransAsia Airways plane crash landed. Photograph: Pichi Chuang/Reuters

The ATR-72 had just taken off from Taipei Songshan Airport and was headed to the outlying Kinmen island, just off the coast of south-east China, CNA said.

CNA quoted a government spokesman as saying the plane crashed after hitting an elevated bridge.

Television images showed rescuers standing on large sections of broken wreckage trying to pull passengers out of the plane with ropes.

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