E. Guinea plane crash kills 55

MALABO – A search-and-rescue team was yesterday seeking the wreckage of a Russian-built Antonov airliner that crashed with 55 people aboard about 30 kilometres from the Equatorial Guinea capital Malabo, an official statement said.

The statement by Transport Minister Demetrio Elo Ndong Nsefumu did not give a death toll but said the plane operated by the private airline Ecuatair had 55 people on board when it crashed early on Saturday. “Because of bad weather conditions in the area, the search is still under way to recover the bodies of the occupants of this plane,” the statement said, without indicating whether there were any survivors.An eyewitness said Saturday that he saw the aircraft go down shortly after takeoff at 10am from Malabo for the city of Bata on the Equatorial Guinea mainland.The plane skidded over trees for a distance of about a kilometre before it crashed, according to aerial photographs, the statement added.Airport sources said on Saturday that the plane’s passenger manifest showed 35 passengers and 10 crew members but that determining the exact number of people aboard the aircraft was difficult as crews are often bribed to take additional passengers.One airport employee suggested that about 80 people may have been aboard the 42-seater plane.- Nampa-AFP”Because of bad weather conditions in the area, the search is still under way to recover the bodies of the occupants of this plane,” the statement said, without indicating whether there were any survivors.An eyewitness said Saturday that he saw the aircraft go down shortly after takeoff at 10am from Malabo for the city of Bata on the Equatorial Guinea mainland.The plane skidded over trees for a distance of about a kilometre before it crashed, according to aerial photographs, the statement added.Airport sources said on Saturday that the plane’s passenger manifest showed 35 passengers and 10 crew members but that determining the exact number of people aboard the aircraft was difficult as crews are often bribed to take additional passengers.One airport employee suggested that about 80 people may have been aboard the 42-seater plane.- Nampa-AFP