Cargo Plane Crash Kills Dozens On The Ground

A Boeing 747-400 cargo plane en route from Hong Kong to Istanbul crashed early Monday morning, about 7:30 local time, while trying to make a scheduled stop in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. The flight crew of four and about 38 people on the ground were killed in the crash and its aftermath. At least a dozen buildings were destroyed by the impact and fire, and at least a dozen people were taken to the hospital with injuries. The flight was operated by ACT Airlines, based in Istanbul, Turkey. There was thick fog in the area at the time of the crash. Local authorities noted that despite the fog, several other airplanes had landed safely shortly before the ACT flight, according to NBC News.

ACT Airlines operates a fleet of seven 747 aircraft for cargo and charter flights. In a statement posted online, the operators said their team, which included the captain, first officer, load master and flight technician, were all well-qualified and experienced. The crew had rested for 69 hours in Hong Kong before taking off on what was planned to be a six-hour flight. "The flight with the cargo from Hong Kong to Bishkek-Istanbul was airborne as planned, after all the checks were carried out, and was on her way approaching Bishkek Airport without encountering any setback or problems during the flight," according to the statement.

The crashed aircraft was manufactured in 2003, the company said, and had been in the ACT fleet since December 2015. "Maintenance of the related aircraft was carried on in timely manner and according to the aviation standards like the other aircrafts in our fleet," the company said. "According to the first findings, it is understood that the reason of the related accident is not caused by technical reasons or loading related factors." News reports have stated that pilot error is the suspected cause of the accident.