Security
Comoros: Crash caused by bad weather, says airline
Sanaa, 30 June (AKI) - Bad weather was responsible for the demise of the Yemeni airliner which crashed with 153 on board off the coast of the Comoros in the Indian Ocean, a Yemeni airways senior official said on Tuesday. Yemenia's deputy director Muhammad al-Sumayri told Adnkronos International (AKI) that the Airbus 310 crash was not caused by a mechanical malfunction.
The official spoke to AKI amid reports that a five-year-old boy had survived the crash that occurred 300 kilometres northwest of Madagascar.
Al-Sumayri denied media reports about a flying prohibition over French airspace and instead said the plane crashed due to "meterological reasons," adding that the plane had done the same flight the previous day.
The young child, who was still to be identified, was rescued from the ocean after the Airbus A310 went down in stormy weather as it tried to land in the Comoros capital, Moroni, early Tuesday.
Some bodies have been recovered from the wreckage of the aircraft.
"This aeroplane, an Airbus 310 normally carried out the route London-Sanaa, via France. It had taken the same route the day before," said al-Sumayri.
According to al-Sumayri the meteorological conditions are still so bad "that it has hindered the rescue operations."
Flight IY626 left the Yemeni capital Sanaa en route to the capital of the Comoros island, Moroni.
Three infants and 11 crew members were among the passengers and crew on board. The flight was expected to land in the capital of the Comoros, Moroni at 02:30am local time.
Yemeni authorities said there were 66 French nationals aboard the aircraft, as well as citizens from Canada, the Comoros, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Morocco, the Philippines and the Palestinian territories.
The Airbus A310 crash is the second major air disaster in a month since an Airbus A330-200 operated by Air France went down off the coast of Brazil in early June with 228 passengers on board.
The airline is jointly owned by the Yemeni and Saudi Arabian governments who share ownership.
The majority-Muslim Comoros, is an island nation with 800,000 people, and considered one of the poorest countries in the world.
The official spoke to AKI amid reports that a five-year-old boy had survived the crash that occurred 300 kilometres northwest of Madagascar.
Al-Sumayri denied media reports about a flying prohibition over French airspace and instead said the plane crashed due to "meterological reasons," adding that the plane had done the same flight the previous day.
The young child, who was still to be identified, was rescued from the ocean after the Airbus A310 went down in stormy weather as it tried to land in the Comoros capital, Moroni, early Tuesday.
Some bodies have been recovered from the wreckage of the aircraft.
"This aeroplane, an Airbus 310 normally carried out the route London-Sanaa, via France. It had taken the same route the day before," said al-Sumayri.
According to al-Sumayri the meteorological conditions are still so bad "that it has hindered the rescue operations."
Flight IY626 left the Yemeni capital Sanaa en route to the capital of the Comoros island, Moroni.
Three infants and 11 crew members were among the passengers and crew on board. The flight was expected to land in the capital of the Comoros, Moroni at 02:30am local time.
Yemeni authorities said there were 66 French nationals aboard the aircraft, as well as citizens from Canada, the Comoros, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Morocco, the Philippines and the Palestinian territories.
The Airbus A310 crash is the second major air disaster in a month since an Airbus A330-200 operated by Air France went down off the coast of Brazil in early June with 228 passengers on board.
The airline is jointly owned by the Yemeni and Saudi Arabian governments who share ownership.
The majority-Muslim Comoros, is an island nation with 800,000 people, and considered one of the poorest countries in the world.
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