In Cuba, a plane with more than 100 passengers on board crashed shortly after launch of José Martí International Airport in Havana. This is based on reports from state news agency Prensa Latina and Cuban state television.

There was no official information on possible number of injured or dead people at first. But Cuba's president Miguel Díaz-Canel spoke of a "high number" of victims. According to state newspaper Granma, three people survived plane crash. They were in danger of life and were admitted to hospital.

According to state television, Boeing 737 of state airline Cubana crashed between airport in sourn Havana and nearby city of Santiago de Las Vegas. According to airport in Havana, passenger machine was on its way to Ostkubanische town of Holguín.

A dense cloud of smoke was seen in vicinity of airport on video recordings. The plane was in a field, seemed to be badly damaged and burn. Firefighters splashed water on wreckage.

The aircraft should have been leased by Cubana. The airline had taken several of its outdated machines out of operation in recent months due to mechanical problems.

Date Of Update: 19 May 2018, 12:02