Boeing 737 crashes in Cuba with 104 on board

HAVANA: A Boeing 737 plane crashed on Friday shortly after taking off from Havana’s main airport, Cuban state-run media reported, adding that it was not yet known if there were any casualties. The plane was a domestic flight going to Holguin, carrying 104 passengers, state-run TV said. “It crashed between the locality of Boyeros and the village of Santiago de La Vegas”, state-run TV said in its midday news broadcast, referring to an area some 20 km south of Havana. Images on TV and social media showed a large plume of black smoke above the airport. Ambulances and firefighters were rushing to the scene. There were no initial reports of casualties on the ground. Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who went to visit the scene, said there was a “high number” of casualties. “There has been an unfortunate aviation accident. The news is not very promising, it seems that there is a high number of victims,” Diaz-Canel was quoted as saying shortly after visiting the scene. Diaz-Canel said nine crew members were believed to have been on board, in addition to the passengers. State television said the airliner was operated by a foreign crew, but gave no details. — Agencies