Cuban Airline Jet Crashes Near Havana Airport

Authorities said that over one hundred people died when their plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Havana, Cuba. The Boeing 737, which was operated by state airline Cubana, had 109 passengers and nine crew aboard when it crashed into a farm near Jose Marti International Airport. Three people are reported to have survived and are in critical condition.

"There has been an unfortunate aviation accident. The news is not very promising, it seems that there is a high number of victims," Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel was quoted as saying as he rushed to the scene of the accident.

Video from the scene showed thick plumes of black smoke rising from the crash site as firefighters battled to put out fires around the wreckage. 

Authorities have not released information about what caused the crash. Cubana had rented the plane from a Mexican company named Blue Panorama. The Cuban state airline has been taking many of its aging planes out of service due to mechanical issues. On Thursday, the Cuban National Aviation Authority grounded the airline's "Antonov AN-158 fleet due to technical issues," according to the Miami Herald.


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