Yemenia Air plane crashes into Indian Ocean - 153 feared dead off Comoros islands
Yemenia Air plane crashes into Indian Ocean - 153 feared dead off Comoros islands
A plane has crashed into the Indian Ocean. The Yemenia Air flight crashed in the Comoros archipelago with 153 people on board.
A spokesperson for Yemenia Air told Reuters that some bodies have been recovered. It is thought that the aircraft crashed into choppy waters as it tried to land in bad weather.
It is not yet known if there are any survivors amongst the 142 passengers and 11 crew. "We still do not have information about the reason behind the crash or survivors," said the airline's Mohammed al-Sumairi. "The weather conditions were rough - strong wind and high seas...there could be other factors."
Several French military vessels and aircraft are searching the area for the plane. Officials believe it crashed somewhere along its landing approach. The control tower at the airport received notification that it was approaching, but then lost contact.
66 French nationals were believed to be aboard the plane, which was flying from Sanaa to Moroni, the capital of the archipelago's main island. The Comoros islands gained independence from France in 1975 and they have enjoyed strong ties since.
Earlier this month an Air France plane crashed into the Atlantic, en-route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. 228 people were on board and the search for bodies has now been called off.
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