Three years after China Eastern plane crash, regulator has not released report
On March 21, 2022, a China Eastern Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab 737-800 jet plunged into a hillside in the southwestern region of Guangxi about an hour after takeoff, killing all 132 people on board in China's deadliest air disaster in three decades.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China issued a preliminary report and two anniversary updates on the crash of China Eastern flight MU5735, but the updates were only a few paragraphs, offering scant details.
CAAC has said it would release relevant information based on the progress of the investigation. But on Saturday, after the third anniversary of the crash, relatives were still waiting to learn what caused the plane to nosedive from cruising altitude.
CAAC and China Eastern did not respond to requests for comment.
Global aviation guidelines call for an initial report within 30 days of an accident and a final one ideally within a year. Failing that, investigators should issue statements on each anniversary.
Final reports are a major tool used by the aviation industry to help prevent new accidents by learning lessons from previous tragedies.
Aviation bodies have raised the alarm over the number of delayed or non-existent final reports globally, blaming scarce investigation resources, judicial interference or a lack of political willingness to disclose certain narratives.
CAAC has maintained that no faults or abnormalities were found in the aircraft or engines before takeoff from Kunming, bound for Guangzhou, or with the weather or communications. The crew held valid licences, adequate rest and passed health checks on the day of the flight, and there was no dangerous weather or dangerous goods on board the plane, the regulator has said.
Investigators examined the crew's actions after finding no malfunctions, two people briefed on the matter said at the time.
In May 2022, the Wall Street Journal reported that "black box" data indicated someone had intentionally crashed the plane, citing a preliminary assessment from U.S. officials.
CAAC has previously said speculation surrounding the crash had "gravely misled the public" and interfered with accident investigation work.
Chinese lawmakers are considering significant changes to the country's civil aviation law, including measures against spreading rumours about aviation safety, CAAC said last month.
Some users of Chinese social media platforms Xiaohongshu and Weibo took note of the lack of a report.
"Three years... no results? Does nobody remember?" a Weibo user wrote.
Others expressed hope it would be released so as to give the public and family members of victims an explanation.
"Not releasing in itself is a type of report," a Xiaohongshu user wrote Saturday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Evening Standard
25-06-2025
- Evening Standard
Somerset House: Amy Poon to open her first permanent restaurant serving Chinese family dishes
'Five decades after my parents opened the first Poon's Restaurant in Lisle Street, I can no longer deny the calling. This is a way of welcoming people to my table, where you come if you don't have a nice Chinese friend who will cook for you at home.'
NBC News
24-06-2025
- NBC News
NTSB set to meet on door plug investigation of terrifying Alaska Airlines flight
The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday will be focused on preventing another terrifying event like the one involving a panel that flew off a Boeing 737 Max midair in January of 2024. The board will discuss what NTSB investigators have uncovered over the past 17 months, including their revelation that bolts securing what is known as the door plug panel were removed and never replaced during a repair. Board members were also expected to approve recommendations to keep something similar from ever happening again. The blow out aboard Alaska Airlines flight 1282 occurred minutes after it took off from Portland, Oregon, and created a roaring air vacuum that sucked objects out of the cabin and scattered them on the ground below along with debris from the fuselage. Seven passengers and one flight attended received minor injuries, but no one was killed. Pilots were able to land the plane safely back at the airport. The accident occurred as the plane flew at 16,000 feet (4,800 meters). Oxygen masks dropped during the rapid decompression and a few cellphones and other objects were swept through the hole in the plane as 171 passengers contended with wind and roaring noise. The first six minutes of the flight to Southern California's Ontario International Airport were routine. The Boeing 737 Max 9 was about halfway to its cruising altitude and traveling at more than 400 mph (640 kph) when passengers described a loud 'boom' and wind so strong it ripped the shirt off someone's back. 'We knew something was wrong,' Kelly Bartlett told The Associated Press in the days following the flight. 'We didn't know what. We didn't know how serious. We didn't know if it meant we were going to crash.' The 2-foot-by-4-foot (61-centimeter-by-122-centimeter) piece of fuselage covering an unoperational emergency exit behind the left wing had blown out. Only seven seats on the flight were unoccupied, including the two seats closest to the opening. The panel that blew off was made and installed by a supplier, Spirit AeroSystems. It was removed at a Boeing factory so workers could repair damaged rivets, but bolts that help secure the door plug weren't replaced. It's not clear who removed the panel. The NTSB said in a preliminary report that four bolts were not replaced after a repair job in a Boeing factory, but the company has said the work was not documented. Boeing factory workers told NTSB investigators that they felt pressured to work too fast and were asked to perform jobs that they weren't qualified for, including opening and closing the door plug on the particular plane involved. A Boeing door installer said he was never told to take any shortcuts, but everyone faced pressure to keep the assembly line moving. 'That's how mistakes are made. People try to work too fast,' he told investigators. The installer and other workers were not named in documents about the probe. The Max version of Boeing's bestselling 737 airplane has been the source of persistent troubles for the company since two of the jets crashed, one in Indonesia in 2018 and another in Ethiopia in 2019, killing a combined 346 people. Investigators determined those crashes were caused by a system that relied on a sensor providing faulty readings to push the nose down, leaving pilots unable to regain control. After the second crash, Max jets were grounded worldwide until the company redesigned the system. Last month, the Justice Department reached a deal allowing Boeing to avoid criminal prosecution for allegedly misleading U.S. regulators about the Max before the two crashes. But regulators at the Federal Aviation Administration have capped Boeing's 737 Max production at 38 jets per month while investigators ensure the company has strengthened its safety practices. Boeing hired a new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, last year and created a new position for a senior vice president of quality to help improve its manufacturing. The company was back in the news earlier this month when a 787 flown by Air India crashed shortly after takeoff and killed at least 270 people. Investigators have not determined what caused that crash, but so far they have not found any flaws with the model, which has a strong safety record.
Scottish Sun
17-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
I bought a trampoline for the local kids to enjoy but my spiteful neighbour made us rip it down – they lead a sad life
'There was no discussion. We want to see if we can get this overturned. The children are all upset by this' BOUNCE ON I bought a trampoline for the local kids to enjoy but my spiteful neighbour made us rip it down – they lead a sad life Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A GRANDMA claims she has to pull down her trampoline after a 'spiteful' neighbour complained to the council about kids bouncing on it. Lorraine Roberts bought a trampoline for children on her estate in Southampton, Hampshire, and erected it on council-owned common area in February. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 The grandma claims she had to pull down the trampoline after a neighbour complained to the council Credit: Kennedy News 2 Lorraine bought the trampoline for the kids on her estate Credit: Kennedy News The 67-year-old believed all her neighbours were happy with the 16-foot equipment until she received a call from Southampton City Council last month [May 19]. Grandma-of-ten Lorraine says staff told her an unknown neighbour had complained about the 'noise and mess' children make while playing on it 'all day, every day'. She was reportedly then ordered to take it down from the grassy area before it is forcibly removed on 'health and safety' grounds. Shocked Lorraine admits the children can be noisy while playing but says she lives just a 'couple feet away' and orders anyone off the trampoline by 8pm. She's since described the neighbour's complaint as 'gutless' and believes the residents should've been consulted before the decision was made to ban the equipment. The grandma said the local children are 'disappointed and upset' over the trampoline's removal and she remains hopeful the decision can be overturned. Southampton City Council say play equipment such as trampolines present a 'significant health and safety risk' so are banned on council-owned shared areas. Lorraine said: "Just over a year ago, one of my neighbours put a trampoline on a shared area of grass because a lot of kids play there but it was quite flimsy. "I've got grandchildren that play on the close so I said I'd buy a bigger, sturdier one. "Everybody loved it. Kids were on it all day, every day. It keeps them off their iPads and PlayStations." Shocking moment nightmare neighbour 'Chinese spy' haunt family in hedge dispute Although the Grandma admitted the kids are noisy on the trampoline, as far as she's concerned "they're going to be noisy either way." "I didn't know anyone had any issue with it. I thought the neighbours were happy with it. "We all think it's spineless how [the neighbour] didn't say anything to our face. They're gutless and we've got to live with them." Lorraine insists it's the residents' roles to take responsibility for the children, not the council. She says the kids will still cause noise and mess without the trampoline but now they don't have anything to play on. Lorraine said: "I was quite shocked when [the council] said they'd received a complaint from one of the neighbours. Why didn't they approach us? "They said it was a health and safety issue but I said you're not responsible, we are. We take responsibility for the children. "They said it's got to come down. I said no and she said if you don't take it down we will. "I was really disappointed for the children's sake. I just like the children having something to play with. "The complaint was about the noise and mess but you're still going to get that without the trampoline but now they won't have anywhere to play. "The council should've come round, had a meeting with the whole close and asked what we all thought instead of just saying 'take it down'. "There was no discussion. We want to see if we can get this overturned. The children are all upset by this." The Top Five Reasons Neighbours Squabble One study by Compare the Market revealed the top reason British neighbour's argue Broken fences - top of the board was broken fences and whose responsibility it was to fix it Parking: one of the leading drivers of neighbour disputes, with 54.1 per cent of people having issues with people parking in front of their house, parking bay or driveway Trees - complaints about a neighbour's tree cracking your garden path was also common with nearly half of participants finding it frustrating Bin wars - outdoor bin etiquette continues to ignite the most furious debates between neighbours Nosy Neighbours - some people have their eyes and ears at the ready to have a peek causing problems for others A spokesperson for Southampton City Council said: 'Shared areas of council-owned grass within our communities are spaces for everyone to enjoy safely. "While we understand the importance of outdoor play, play equipment such as trampolines present a significant health and safety risk, and cannot be safely monitored around the clock. "For this reason, we do not permit their use in these shared areas. "The residents are within walking distance of two parks which provide good access to play facilities. "We are aware that this type of play equipment can be expensive, which is why we sent letters to the community to give the owner the chance to collect the trampoline themselves.' Lorraine took to social media to voice her concerns with the neighbour's complaint and council's decision to remove the trampoline. Lorraine said: "I cannot believe that some spiteful person from our close has complained to the council that our children are making too much noise whilst playing on the trampoline." Another user said: "They lead a very sad life to complain about the children." A third added: "You're joking. Isn't it good they are laughing and playing or do they want them either stuck in bedrooms or playing with guns outside? What has this world come to?" Another said: "What a small minded person. It's lovely to hear children playing outside."
