China Eastern Airlines: Boeing 737-800 with 132 passengers on board crashes in Guangxi region, casualties unknown

A China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-800 with 132 passengers on board crashed in the Guangxi province of southern China on Monday afternoon.

The MU5735 passenger plane, flying from Kunming to Guangzhou, lost airborne contact over Wuzhou City before plummeting thousands of meters within three minutes.

The plane crash caused a mountain fire at the crash site, which is a forested hillside in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Data on the number of casualties is currently unknown. China Eastern reported that there were no foreigners on the domestic flight.

In a prompt public response, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an immediate investigation into the cause of the crash. He called for “the absolute safety of the sector and people’s lives."

Local officials reported that the forest fire was extinguished by firefighters. Over 600 emergency responders are leading rescue efforts for possible survivors among the 123 passengers and nine cabin crew. Rescue efforts amidst the thick and remote forest will only become more difficult at nightfall.

In a filing with the Shanghai Stock Exchange, China Eastern Airlines said:

"[The airline] expresses its deep condolences for the passengers and crew members who died in the plane crash.”

China Eastern set up an emergency telephone assistance line for the passengers' families and changed its website colors to black-and-white as a sign of mourning. It also announced that it would be grounding all its Boeing 737-800 flights from Tuesday, pending an investigation.

A Boeing spokesperson issued a statement:

“We are aware of the initial media reports and are working to gather more information.”

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Last moments before the China Eastern Airlines crash

According to flight-tracking sites, the aircraft was nearing its destination after being airborne for just over an hour. Wuzhou City, a verdant, hilly area, is usually prone to mixed weather this time of the year, but visibility was good that day, despite cloudy weather.

Flightradar24 reported that the flight was cruising at 29,100 ft. However, after two minutes and 15 seconds, its altitude dropped to 9,075 ft. The flight tracker's last recorded information showed it at an altitude of 3,225 ft at 2.22 PM local time.

The cause of the crash is still unknown, so speculation about what really happened is rife.

Wang Ya'nan, Chief Editor of Beijing's Aerospace Knowledge, told China's Global Times newspaper:

"It is very likely that the aircraft lost power at cruising altitude, resulting in the pilot losing control of the aircraft. This is a very serious technical failure in which the plane inevitably enters a high-speed descent."

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China's airline safety record is one of the best in the world

China Eastern's MU5735 crashed after being airborne for just over an hour (Image via Flightradar24)

China Eastern is one of the three major airlines in China, with the Boeing 737 being one of the most popular planes in the world.

China had previously banned the model's successor, the Boeing 737 Max line, after it was involved in two deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019 in Indonesia and Ethiopia, respectively.

China's safety record has been one of the best in the world over the past decade. The country has tightened air safety and aviation standards significantly since the 1990s.

China recorded its last major aircraft crash over a decade ago, in August 2010, when Henan Airlines' Embraer E-190 crashed in north-east Yichun, killing 46 out of 96 passengers.

China Eastern's Boeing 737-800 was less than seven years old, with no visible fatigue cracks. Official investigation into the crash's cause will consider several possible factors, including technical issues such as structural failure or a mid-air collision.