132 killed as Boeing 737 crashes into hillside in China after sudden plunge

<p>
A Chinese airline plane with 132 people on board crashed on Monday in a forested hillside in southern China and went up in flames.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
Update: Boeing plane with 132 people onboard crashes in S.China's Guangxi. Casualties unknown. (Video via People's Daily) <a href="https://t.co/LQ97EFvX2k">https://t.co/LQ97EFvX2k</a> <a href="https://t.co/lSSU3AD86y">pic.twitter.com/lSSU3AD86y</a></p>
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/globaltimesnews/status/1505828883954044930?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>
The China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-800 was on a domestic flight from Kunming to Guangzhou when it suddenly plunged from  cruising altitude and crashed to earth in Guangxi province.</p>
<p>
Chinese media showed brief highway video footage from a vehicle's dashcam apparently showing a jet crashing to the ground behind trees and .</p>
<p>
China Eastern said the cause of the crash, in which the plane descended at 31,000 feet a minute according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, was under investigation.</p>
<p>
The airline said it had provided a hotline for relatives of those on board and sent a working group to the site. There were no foreigners on the flight, Chinese state television reported, citing China Eastern.</p>
<p>
The number of casualties and reason for the crash are not yet known. Rescuers have seen no signs of survivors.</p>
<p>
Chinese airlines generally have a good safety record – the last major accident took place 12 years ago.</p>
<p>
The crash has caused shock in China where President Xi Jinping has ordered an immediate investigation to determine the cause. China Eastern Airlines has reportedly grounded all its 737s.</p>
<p>
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the passenger plane crash in China's Guangxi on Monday.</p>
<p>
PM Modi tweeted, "Deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the crash of the passenger flight MU5735 with 132 on board in China's Guangxi. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the crash and their family members."</p>