Plane Crashes In Taiwan

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TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan's Central News Agency says a plane has crashed in a failed emergency landing, killing 51 people.

The news agency cited the head of the fire department in the Taiwanese county of Penghu as saying that seven people were also injured in the crash.

The report cites the Civil Aviation Administration as saying the flight crashed Wednesday with 54 passengers and four flight crew and was operated by a Taiwanese airline, TransAsia Airways.

The report says the plane likely crashed when an attempt to make an emergency landing in the city of Magong.

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(CNN) -- Forty-seven people were killed and 11 were injured in Wednesday's plane crash on one of Taiwan's Penghu Islands, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported. CNA cited Taiwanese Transportation Minister Yeh Kuang-shih.

The crash of the twin-engine turboprop plane happened outside Magong Airport at about 7 p.m., CNA reported earlier.

CNN affiliate ETTV is reporting that the plane crashed into a residential building.

Witnesses described seeing homes on fire, the affiliate said.

 

Map: Magong

 

 

Was weather a factor in Taiwan crash?

The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known.

Some media reports said the plane was making a crash landing prompted by strong winds from Typhoon Matmo, which hit Taiwan early Wednesday, according to CNA.

The plane, an ATR 72, had taken off from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, CNA reported. The Penghu Islands are off the main Taiwanese island's west coast.

There were 54 passengers and four crew aboard the flight, said Jean Shen, the director-general of the Civil Aeronautics Administration, at a press conference.