At least 37 people have died after a Turkish cargo plane crashed into a village in Kyrgyzstan.
The ACT Airlines flight crashed into the village of Dacha-Suu, just west of Manas International Airport, near the capital Bishkek, while trying to make a scheduled landing in dense fog at 7.31am (1.31am GMT). It was en route from Hong Kong to Istanbul.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A witness told AFP: "The plane crashed into the houses, it killed entire families. There's nothing left of the houses, people were killed with their whole family, their children. Many people were sleeping."
More than 1,000 rescue workers were working on the scene by late morning, says the Daily Telegraph.
"The number of victims is increasing quickly," a spokeswoman for Kyrgyzstan's emergency ministry told CNN. "The fire service, rescue services, ministry of internal affairs and the Prime Minister and emergencies minister are there."
Emergency ministry chief Mukhammed Svarov said the crash had damaged 15 buildings and spread wreckage for several hundred yards.
Kyrgyzstan deputy prime minister Mukhammetkaly Abulgaziyev blamed pilot error for the crash, reports news agency Kloop.
ACT, which is also known as MyCargo, said: "Our TC-MCL signed plane, flying on January 16 from Hong Kong to Bishkek, crashed on landing at Bishkek at the end of the runway for an unknown reason.
"More information will be disclosed concerning our four-person team when we get clear information."
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weaponsThe Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarrayIn the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
