Three Survivors in Critical Condition in Aftermath of Cuban Plane Wreckage
A Boeing 737 airplane transporting over 100 passenger reportedly crashed shortly after it took off from Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport Friday.
According to CBS News, the plane was rented by Cubana de Avicion, Cuba’s national carrier, which had to terminate the services of its aging fleet due to faulty mechanisms. The cause for the crash remains unknown.
CNN reports that the flight was a domestic flight heading towards the Cuban city of Holguin, 500 miles east of Havana. The plane crashed onto a rural farm field near the village of Santiago de las Vegas, as reported by The Washington Post. Witness reports claim that they spotted a huge ball of fire in the aftermath of the crash, with a thick smog of smoke visible near the crash site, according to various sources.
NEW: Cubana Airlines flight that crashed shortly after takeoff in Cuba had 104 passengers on board, according to Cuban media. https://t.co/WzjrJYznWw pic.twitter.com/EBRmwaedjb
— ABC News (@ABC) May 18, 2018
Sky News reports that an employee of Mexico’s Global Air revealed to the Associated Press that the crashed plane belongs to the company.
CNN writer and producer Paul P. Murphy shared on Twitter that CNN procured an onsite footage of the crash site.
.@CNN has obtained video that appears to show smoke rising from the plane crash site, near José Martí International Airport in Havana Cuba. pic.twitter.com/oObs4WKvXU
— Paul P. Murphy (@murphy) May 18, 2018
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, along with numerous government officials, authorities and emergency services, are currently present at the crash site.
Three passengers rescued from the crash scene were rushed to the hospital and are reportedly in critical condition, as reported by CNN.
There has yet to be any word on whether there are other survivors of the crash or the exact number of fatalities incurred.
