Turkish Airlines has disowned the cargo plane that crashed on Monday, killing at least 37 persons when it plunged into a village in Kyrgyzstan.
Contrary to reports, the airlines denied any involvement in the accident, as neither the aircraft nor the crew are members of Turkish Airlines.
Recall that a cargo flight with TC-MCL registration number, operated by ACT Airlines, departed from Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) to Bishkek Manas International Airport (FRU) when it had an accident near Bishkek.
Among the 37 people killed were residents of the village that was struck by the Boeing 747 as it tried to land in dense fog.
According to the airport administration, the plane was supposed to make a stopover at Manas, near the capital city Bishkek, on its way from Hong Kong, then to Istanbul.
Reports of the death toll ranged from 37 people, according to emergency officials, to 31 people, according to the presidential press office that said rescue teams have recovered 31 bodies as well as fragments of nine bodies.
More than a thousand rescue workers worked on the scene by late morning in the residential area where 15 houses have been destroyed, Deputy Prime Minister Mukhammetkaly Abulgaziyev said.
The cause of the crash was not immediately clear. Kyrgyz Emergency Situations Minister Kubatbek Boronov told reporters that it was foggy Monday morning at Manas when the plane came down but weather conditions were not critical.
Turkish media reports say the plane belonged to an Istanbul-based cargo company, ACT, and it had departed from Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu has called his Kyrgyz counterpart, Erlan Abdildaev, to offer Turkey’s condolences, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.