16 Jan 2017

Homes struck by crashing Turkish cargo plane

7:57 pm on 16 January 2017

A Turkish cargo plane from Hong Kong has crashed in Kyrgyzstan, killing at least 32 people, most of them on the ground, officials say.

Wreckage of a plane is seen after the aircraft on a flight from Hong-Kong to Bishkek crashed during a landing approach due to bad weather conditions, near Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on January 16, 2017.

Images of the crash site, near Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, show wreckage, fire and smoke among the rubble of destroyed buildings. Photo: AFP / ANADOLU AGENCY

The Boeing 747 crashed into homes near the Manas airport, about 25km north of the capital, Bishkek, the Kyrgyz government said.

At least 15 buildings were damaged and a number of children were reported to be among those killed.

The flight had been making a stopover in Manas en route to Istanbul in Turkey.

The Kyrgyz government said the plane was being operated by Turkish Airlines, but the airline said the plane belonged to Turkish carrier ACT, also known as My Cargo Airlines.

"Our condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in the tragic incident involving an ACT Airlines aircraft in Kyrgyzstan," Turkish Airline said on its Twitter account.

The plane came down shortly after 07.30am local time in the village of Dacha-Suu, a popular holiday home area.

Visibility was poor at the time because of freezing fog, but the cause of the crash has not yet been confirmed.

Images on social media purporting to be of the crash site show fire and smoke rising from the rubble of destroyed buildings.

There are reports one crew member survived. A number of people have also been taken to hospitals with injuries.

Emergency services were at the scene. Local media were reporting that Prime Minister Sooronbai Jeenbekov was also there.

The Manas airport, the country's main international airport, has been closed.

In 2008, a passenger plane bound for Iran crashed shortly after take-off from Manas, killing 68 people.

- BBC

The cargo jet crashed near Kyrgyzstan's Manas airport.

The cargo plane crashed near Kyrgyzstan's main international airport. Photo: Google Maps