Kyrgyzstan’s government said on Monday that pilot error may have been the cause of a Turkish cargo plane crash near the capital Bishkek that reportedly killed at least 37 people.
Foggy weather was reported around the airport in the Central Asian nation’s capital, where the four-engine Boeing 747-400 jet missed the runway while attempting to land and crashed into several residential buildings.
“The government was considering pilot error as a possible cause.
`However, it is still too early to draw a conclusion,’’ Kyrgyz First Deputy Prime Minister Mukhammetkaly Abulgaziyev said.
Turkey-based ACT Airlines confirmed that one of its planes was involved in the accident as it was en route from Hong Kong to Bishkek.
“The cause of the accident is unknown at this time and further details will be provided as they become available,” a statement from the Turkey-based company said.
Turkish Airlines previously issued a statement saying that the aircraft involved was not their plane or their crew, but was operating under Turkish flight number TK6491.
The plane crashed into a suburban settlement near the Manas International Airport, destroying around 15 homes, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
Most of the victims were local residents and there were at least six children among the dead, according to a report. (dpa/NAN)