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Yemeni airliner crashes in Indian Ocean
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An Airbus A310. PHOTO COURTESY: Airbus
A Yemenia Airways jet has crashed into the Indian Ocean with 153 people on board. The crash has been confirmed by government officials in Yemen, where the flight took off, and the Comoros Islands, its intended destination.
Initial reports indicated that the jet was an Airbus A310-300. If confirmed, it would be the second Airbus ocean crash in less than a month. An Air France Airbus A330 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean June 1.
The official Comoros government website reported that the plane crashed off the coast of Grand Comore Island near the town of Mitsamiouli while making its landing approach at about 3 a.m. local time. The government reported a reconaissance flight from Comoros had located the crash site. Traces of fuel were reported to be visible on the ocean surface. Rough seas were reported in the area.
At about 8 a.m. local time (midnight CDT), it was reported that a boat had reached the crash site and located wreckage from the aircraft. There was still no word on bodies or survivors.
The three Comoros Islands are located between Madagascar and the African mainland.
The flight was bound from Yemen to the Comoros capital city of Moroni. The BBC reported the flight originated in Paris and most of the passengers were believed to be Comoros residents.
Yemenia Airways is the national carrier for the nation of Yemen, located on the Arabian Peninsula.
The Moroni Airport borders the sea on Grand Comore Island. Reuters reported that Comoros officials were dispatching boats to the area where they believe the jet crashed, about three to six miles off the coast.
"We don't know if there are any survivors among the 150 people on the plane," Comoros Vice-President Idi Nadhoim told Reuters.
The Airbus A310 can carry 240 passengers. The last fatal accident involving an Airbus A310 was just over a year ago, when a Sudan Airways flight from Jordan veered off the runway while landing in inclement weather at Khartoum International Airport. The jet caught fire, killing 30 people.
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