Turkish cargo jet crash kills 37 in Kyrgyzstan

UPDATED at 1:42 pm

BISHKEK: A Turkish cargo jet crashed near Kyrgyzstan's Manas airport on Monday, killing at least 37 people, most of them residents of a village struck by the Boeing 747 as it tried to land in dense fog, Kyrgyz officials said.

According to the airport administration, the plane was supposed to make a stopover at Manas, near the capital city Bishkek, on its way from Hong Kong to Istanbul. It crashed when trying to land in poor visibility at 7:31 am (0131 GMT).

The doomed plane ploughed for a few hundred metres (yards) through the village, shattering into pieces and damaging some 15 buildings.

Initial estimates put the death toll from the crash at 37, said Kyrgyzstan's emergencies ministry.

Kyrgyz officials initially identified the Boeing 747-400 as belonging to Turkish Airlines, but Turkishcargo operator ACT Airlines said the jet was theirs.

"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," ACT Airlines said in an emailed statement.

"More information will be disclosed concerning our four-person team when we get clear information."

Turkish Airlines cargo jet crash kills 16 in Kyrgyzstan

BISHKEK: A Turkish Airlines cargo jet crashed near Kyrgyzstan's Manas airport on Monday, killing at least 20 people, most of them residents of village struck by the Boeing 747 as it tried to land in dense fog, Kyrgyz officials said.

According to the airport administration, the plane was supposed to make a stopover at Manas, near the capital city Bishkek, on its way from Hong Kong to Istanbul. It crashed when trying to land in poor visibility at 7:31 local time (0131 GMT).

The doomed plane damaged 15 buildings in the village, said Mukhammed Svarov, head of crisis management centre at the emergencies ministry, putting the toll at least 20 people.

Rescue workers have recovered the body of a pilot and 15 villagers, the healthcare ministry said.