Plane crash kills 22 in Argentina

 
China.org.cn, May 19, 2011

All the 22 people on board a small commercial plane were killed when it crashed in Argentina's southern Rio Negro province on Wednesday, the regional Sol airline said.

The Saab 340 plane carrying 19 passengers, including a child, and three crew members onboard, was flying from the southern city of Neuquento to Comodoro Rivadavia Wednesday night, one Sol airline official said.

Local media reports said that the cold weather had caused engine failure of the plane, forcing the pilot to send distress signals three times to the control tower asking for an emergency landing.

Sol said in a statement that it received an emergency communication from the plane at 8:50 p.m. local time, 42 minutes after the plane took off.

It crashed near Prahuaniyeu in Rio Negro province at around 21:50 local time (0050 GMT Thursday).

Mayor Mabel Yahuar of the town of Los Menucos in Rio Negro province told Argentine channel C5N, "We have sent fire fighters and ambulances to the spot." 

No survivors was found at the crash site.