Aug 24, 2008 Latest Headlines...
Bishkek plane might have made emergency landing
BISHKEK. Aug 24 (Interfax) - Kyrgyz Emergency Minister Kamchibek
Tashiyev has confirmed the crash of the Bishkek airplane, which was
bound for Iran.
"The plane crashed five kilometers away from the Manas
International Airport. It was a Boeing 737 with 123 people on board,"
Tashiyev told Interfax.
"So far there is no exact information as to whether the plane was
owned" by a local or an Iranian airline company, he said.
Nor does the minister have any information about a possible number
of casualties at this stage.
All Kyrgyz emergency rescue teams and ambulance cars have been
called in to the plane crash site. The Kyrgyz emergency minister and
transport minister are due to arrive here shortly.
The plane is believed to have crashed not far from the Manas
Airport near the village of Dzhangi-Dzher.
The Manas Airport is located 30 kilometers away from Bishkek.
Earlier, an airport source told Interfax that the Boeing 737
passenger jet crashed during a takeoff not far from the Bishkek Manas
airport. According to early estimates, there are casualties.
The airplane is owned by Itek Air, a private airline company. It
was due to fly from Bishkek to Mashhad (Iran), the source said.
A spokesperson for the anti-terrorist coalition air base confirmed
the airport accident to Interfax and said that a team of rescue workers
has been sent to the crash site.
Meanwhile, the Manas Airport has not confirmed the air crash to the
Ekho Moskvy radio station.
"The airplane did not crash, it made an emergency landing. This
plane is owned by a Tehran airline company," an airport spokesperson
told the Ekho Moskvy radio.
There are "no casualties," the official said and refused to further
comment on the incident.
"Currently, airline company officials and all bosses are near the
plane, they are not giving us any information," the spokesperson said.
kk