Taiwan plane crashes on emergency landing, 47 feared dead
24 July 2014 2:30 AM IST
Eleven others have been injured, Xinhua reported citing the authority. An earlier report put the toll at 51
The twin-engine ATR-72 turboprop aircraft was carrying 54 passengers and four crew. The plane was travelling from Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan to Penghu Islands in the west.
Flight GE 222 was scheduled to take off at 4 pm, but left Kaohsiung at 5.43 pm due to bad weather.
The flight sought to circle above before trying to land at Magong Airport but lost contact with the tower, said Jean Shen, director general of Taiwan's civil aeronautics administration, at a press conference.
The accident happened as typhoon Matmo arrived in the island with heavy rain and strong winds, shutting financial markets and schools.
The twin-engine ATR-72 turboprop aircraft was carrying 54 passengers and four crew. The plane was travelling from Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan to Penghu Islands in the west.
Flight GE 222 was scheduled to take off at 4 pm, but left Kaohsiung at 5.43 pm due to bad weather.
The flight sought to circle above before trying to land at Magong Airport but lost contact with the tower, said Jean Shen, director general of Taiwan's civil aeronautics administration, at a press conference.
The accident happened as typhoon Matmo arrived in the island with heavy rain and strong winds, shutting financial markets and schools.
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