Over 100 People Killed in Plane Crash in Cuba

Cuban state television has reported that more than 100 people were killed in the crash of a Boeing 737 near Havana. According to Reuters, Miguel Díaz-Canel, the President of Cuba, stated that only three of the 114 passengers on board were rescued, but all three are severely injured and in critical condition. The Boeing 737 crashed shortly after taking off from José Martí Airport, Havana's main airport, about 20 kilometers south of Havana. The aircraft had 105 passengers, including five children, and nine crew members. Miguel Díaz-Canel said that emergency crews are identifying the bodies of the passengers after extinguishing the fire. He also added that an investigation into the cause of the crash has begun. Carlos Alberto Martínez, director of Calixto García Hospital in Havana, told Reuters that four injured individuals were transferred to the hospital, one of whom died there. The three women rescued from the incident are severely injured and in critical condition. Reports indicate that the aircraft was a passenger flight heading to Holguín, a tourist destination in Cuba known for its beautiful beaches. Cuban media say that this Boeing 737 was leased from a Mexican company. However, the Mexican government announced that this Boeing 737 was about 39 years old and was manufactured in 1979. Boeing has also stated that it is aware of the passenger plane crash and is closely following news related to the incident. Last year, a Cuban military plane crashed into a hill in the west of the country, killing eight military personnel on board. On November 4, 2010, a passenger flight of Aerocaribbean crashed in central Cuba due to bad weather, killing all 68 people on board. This was the deadliest aviation accident in the country in two decades.