“It is a sad day in Taiwan’s aviation history and the government will offer every possible assistance to those affected by the tragedy,” the president said in a statement read by Presidential Office spokeswoman Ma Wei-kuo.
An emergency center has been set up at the Executive Yuan to coordinate the crash investigation and oversee support measures for the survivors and families of the victims, the spokeswoman said, adding that the injured are being treated in a hospital on the outlying island.
GE222 carrying 54 passengers and four crew was inbound from Kaohsiung International Airport. It departed 5:43 p.m. and was due to land at Magong Airport around 7 p.m.
According to the Civil Aeronautics Administration, the ATR-72 twin-engine turboprop’s first landing attempt failed and the pilots radioed to request permission for a second. They lost contact with the tower shortly after and the plane went down 2 kilometers from the airport in Hsihsi Village before bursting into flames.
The CAA confirmed July 24 that all five villagers hurt during the crash have been released from hospital.
Minister of Transportation and Communications Yeh Kuang-shih, CAA Director-General Jean Shen and officials from the Aviation Safety Council are in Penghu for the crash investigation. (DF-JSM)
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