Death toll in Taiwan plane crash rises to 31; 12 still missing

An airplane carrying 58 passengers and crew members clipped a bridge and crashed into a river in Taiwan minutes after takeoff Wednesday, killing at least 31 people, officials said.

Rescuers using rubber rafts worked into the night to save 15 people trapped in the mostly submerged wreckage. But by early Thursday, hope was fading for the 12 people still unaccounted for.

The plane crash also left 15 injured. Bodies of the captain and two co-pilots have been discovered, and the plane’s two black boxes have been recovered.

Flight GE235 was headed for Kinmen from Taipei with 53 passengers on board, including 31 from the Chinese mainland, and five crew. Three of the mainland passengers are known to be children. 

While it’s too early to say what caused the crash, engine trouble or weight shifting were unlikely to be causes, Waldron said. Other possible factors include pilot error, weather or freak incidents such as bird strikes.

“It’s too early now to speculate on whether it was an issue with the aircraft or crew,” said an official.