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Published: 22:27, March 24, 2022 | Updated: 22:55, March 24, 2022
Main impact site of airliner crash found
By China Daily & Xinhua
Published:22:27, March 24, 2022 Updated:22:55, March 24, 2022 By China Daily & Xinhua

The Guangxi Fire and Rescue Brigade works at the main crash site on March 22, 2022. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINADAILY.COM.CN)

The main impact site of the crashed China Eastern Airlines passenger jet has been located and over 180 pieces of wreckage have been found, authorities said on Thursday.

Most wreckage is scattered within 30 meters of the main point and some are buried up to 20 meters underground, said Zhu Tao, head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China's aviation safety office, in a news conference on Thursday.

Among the big pieces that have been found are engine fan blades and turbines, he noted. Investigators have also found remnants of items from the cockpit, including escape ropes and operations manuals

Among the big pieces that have been found are engine fan blades and turbines, he noted. Investigators have also found remnants of items from the cockpit, including escape ropes and operations manuals.

The recovered black box of the plane was also sent to a decoding laboratory in Beijing Wednesday night and the data downloading and analysis work is underway.

Flight MU5735 left Kunming, the Yunnan provincial capital, at 1:11 pm on Monday and was scheduled to arrive in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, at 3:05 pm. It crashed in Tengxian county in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region at around 2:20 pm.

ALSO READ: Rescuers clear landslide debris at S. China plane crash site

The flight was carrying 123 passengers and nine crew members, all Chinese nationals. No survivors have yet been found.

Zheng Xi, head of the Guangxi Fire and Rescue Brigade, said rescuers have found 183 pieces of wreckage and 21 pieces of victims' belongings as of 4 pm Thursday. Some human remains were also found.

All discoveries have been handed to investigation teams, he said.

Aside from search work, rescuers have been tasked with providing communication support and disinfecting personnel and facilities involved in the mission, he said.

They have also helped investigators drain water from areas near the main crash site, he noted. Monitoring for flammable gas has been carried out regularly.

ALSO READ: Chinese rescuers find crashed aircraft's black box

The steep and densely vegetated terrain near the main impact point has posed some challenges to his team as they enlarged the scope of the search on Thursday, he said.

Firefighters have to carve their way through with shovels and sometimes climb over big stones to proceed, he said. They are also often troubled by snakes and insects after heavy rainfall.

Meanwhile, China Eastern Airlines and its subsidiaries have temporarily grounded 223 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, an airline official said Thursday.

All grounded aircraft are undergoing checks and maintenance according to the highest safety standard to ensure that they meet the airworthiness requirements, Liu Xiaodong, head of the airline's publicity department, told a press briefing.

He added that the airline has launched a sweeping safety overhaul following the air crash.

Rescuers drain water from areas near the main crash site in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region on March 23, 2022. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINADAILY.COM.CN)

All other passenger planes of China Eastern Airlines, currently in operation, meet the airworthiness requirements of Chinese aviation authorities, Liu said.

Liu also said that a total of 305 family members of 56 passengers on the ill-fated flight have been accommodated in Wuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

He said family members have been housed and aided in Wuzhou, receiving assistance from 161 staff members of the airlines and local authorities.

Since the accident happened, the airline quickly established a leading group for safe production and accident investigation, with nine special working groups mainly responsible for on-site work disposal, information coordination, legal support, financial insurance and family assistance.

READ MORE: Parts of wreckage, human remains found at plane crash site

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