- Title: Plane crashes in Kazakhstan shortly after takeoff, at least 15 dead
- Date: 27th December 2019
- Summary: ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN (DECEMBER 27, 2019) (REUTERS) PARTS OF PLANE BODY AND POLICE OFFICERS AT SCENE DAMAGED PLANE PLANE BODY POLICE LINE NEAR CRASH SCENE DAMAGED TALE FIRE ENGINES AT SCENE POLICE LINE POLICE LINE AND FIRE ENGINES, PLANE BODY AT BACKGROUND POLICE LINE AND PART OF DAMAGED PLANE AMBULANCES VARIOUS OF AMBULANCES AND EMERGENCY WORKERS DAMAGED PLANE POLICE LINE PLANE IN SKY / POLICE AND MEDIA AT SCENE PEOPLE WALKING ALONG POLICE LINE
- Embargoed: 10th January 2020 06:25
- Keywords: Almaty Bek Air plane Kazakhstan air disaster crash plane
- Location: ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN
- City: ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN
- Country: Kazakhstan
- Topics: Air Accidents,Disaster/Accidents
- Reuters ID: LVA001BBR3EPZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A Bek Air plane with 93 passengers and five crew members on board crashed near the city of Almaty in Kazakhstan on Friday shortly after taking off, killing at least 15 people, authorities in the Central Asian country said.
The Fokker 100 aircraft, heading for the capital, Nur-Sultan, on a pre-dawn flight, "lost altitude during takeoff and broke through a concrete fence" before hitting a two-story building, Kazakhstan's Civil Aviation Committee said.
A survivor told news website Tengrinews she heard a "terrifying sound" before the plane started losing altitude.
Authorities have not suggested any possible cause of the accident so far. The country's aviation committee said it was suspending all flights of Fokker 100 aircraft pending an investigation.
Kazakh carrier Bek Air, which operates a fleet of Fokker 100 jets, could not be immediately reached for comment.
Another survivor, businessman Aslan Nazaraliyev told the Vremya newspaper the plane started shaking while gaining altitude about two minutes after takeoff.
At least 15 people were killed, and 66 were taken to hospital, including some in grave condition, municipal authorities said.
The crash site in Almerek village - just beyond the end of the runway - has been cordoned off.
A Reuters reporter saw the plane torn into two parts next to a house half-demolished by the impact. Other planes could be seen taking off from the airport.
(Production: Pavel Mikheyev, Maria Vasilyeva) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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