Following the China Eastern Airlines crash on Monday (21 Mar), rescuers have been working round the clock in a bid to locate survivors.
Sadly, they have yet to find any although more than 30 hours have passed since the crash occurred.
Other factors including the mountainous terrain around the site as well as rainy weather have also reportedly hampered ongoing rescue efforts.
According to The Straits Times (ST) on Tuesday (22 Mar), Chinese aviation officials have not found any survivors as they concluded the second day of rescue efforts.
A director of the Civil Aviation Administration of China made the announcement at an official press conference.
While there are no signs of survivors yet, rescuers have found personal items such as identity cards, cell phones, and purses at the crash site, reports BBC.
Described as China’s worst air disaster in more than 10 years, 132 people were reportedly on board the Boeing 737-800 when it crashed.
CNN reported that the plane had crashed in a “remote” and “mountainous region” in southern China.
Apparently known for breathtaking sights, the terrain is proving to be a stumbling block for the rescue operation. Torrential rain has also been falling around the area, further hampering efforts.
Besides searching for survivors, the authorities are also looking for evidence that might give investigators clues as to what may have caused the crash.
However, there are now concerns about whether such evidence could have survived the crash.
According to Bloomberg, the plane was travelling close to the speed of sound moments before the crash.
Though the plane’s data and voice recorders are designed to withstand most crashes, it remains unclear if those on the China Eastern Airlines flight remained intact considering the severity of the crash.
Moreover, factors hampering the search for survivors are also posing as obstacles for rescuers to locate the plane’s black box, reports Washington Post.
Seeing just how severe the crash was, hopes of finding a survivor after days of searching may be dwindling.
Nevertheless, we still hope the authorities will be able to locate survivors if there are any.
As for those who tragically perished, we hope rescuers will be able to find their remains. That way, their loved ones will at least be able to find a semblance of closure.
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Featured image adapted from China Xinhua News on Facebook.
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