Search teams find plane crash debris
1 hour 45 mins ago
Search and rescue planes have spotted debris from a Yemeni Airbus A310-300 that crashed into the sea in bad weather. The plane had 153 people aboard when it went down off the Indian Ocean archipelago of Comoros.
Agency for Aviation Security and Navigation in Africa and Madagascar (Ascena) official Ibrahim Kassim said: "The planes have seen debris at the supposed point of impact."
An official from the Yemeni state carrier said the plane had 142 passengers, including three infants, and 11 crew on board. It was flying from Sanaa to Moroni, the capital of the main island of the Comoros archipelago.
"We still do not have information about the reason behind the crash or survivors," said Mohammad al-Sumairi, deputy general manager for Yemenia operations.
"The weather conditions were rough with strong wind and high seas. The wind speed recorded on land at the airport was 38 miles an hour. There could be other factors."
It was the second Airbus to plunge into the sea this month. An Air France Airbus A330-200 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean killing 228 people on board on June 1.