Plane was making its second attempt to land in high winds when the tip of a wing hit the ground and burst into flames
DUBAI (United Arab Emirates) – A FlyDubai flight from Dubai to southern Russia has crashed, killing all 62 people on-board, Igor Oder. FlyDubai said preliminary numbers indicate 55 passengers including 33 women, 18 men and 4 children and 7 crew members on board, revising the number on board from 61 to 62.
The airline said the flight departed from Dubai International Airport at 10:20 p.m. local time Friday (2.20 p.m. ET) and was bound for Rostov-on-Don in Russia. The crash occurred at the destination at 0055 GMT Saturday (8.55 p.m. ET, Friday), it added.
The local branch of the Emergency Ministry said in a statement that the pilot was forced to attempt a second landing “due to bad weather conditions.” The plane’s wing touched the runway, causing the plane to break apart, the statement said. Russian airports often lack the most sophisticated landing aids and access to advanced weather forecasting.
More than 500 rescuers and 60 vehicles were dispatched to the crash site, ministry added.
FlyDubai, the sister carrier to Emirates Airline, was set up in 2008 by the government of Dubai and began flying in 2009. An emirate is the largest airline in the world by international traffic.
The fast-growing, low-cost carrier operates an all-Boeing 737-800 fleet and received its 50th aircraft in October; just over six years after the carrier took its first jet from the plane maker.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed has deep condolences to the relatives and loved ones of the crashed Boeing.
