At least three Indians are feared to have been killed in an airline crash late on Thursday outside Buffalo, New York, early reports said.
At least three Indians are feared to have been killed in an airline crash late on Thursday outside Buffalo, New York, early reports said.
The crash occurred after 10 pm New York Time in the rural village of Clarence Centre, and claimed forty-nine lives. News reports quoted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as saying that the plane was carrying 44 passengers and four crew on a flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Buffalo, which is a route Indian travelers frequently take. The identity of the Indians onboard, if any, is yet to be revealed.
Authorities said that the Continental Airlines Flight 3407, operated by Manassas, Virginia-based Colgan Air, was heading towards the Niagara Falls
The Erie County, New York, emergency coordinator said there were "multiple fatalities" including one person on the ground.
About a dozen homes around the crash site were evacuated. The Buffalo News daily reported on its website that there were no survivors among the 48 on board and one fatality on the ground, citing airport sources.
Television footage from the scene in New York state showed a huge blaze still underway more than two hours after the crash.
The aircraft, described as a 74-seat Bombardier, was approaching Buffalo Niagara International Airport when it went down.
The Washington Times quoted State Trooper John Manthey as saying that the plane hit a house in Clarence around 10:10 pm on Thursday.
Flames erupted from remnants of the house and aircraft as firefighters sought to control the blaze.
Clarence is about 20 miles northeast of Buffalo.
Manthey says authorities don't know if there were any injured people in the neighbouring homes.
Clarence emergency control director Dave Bissonet was quoted as saying that the crash killed one person on the ground and an unknown number of people on the plane.
He says the plane was approaching Buffalo Niagara International Airport, about 10 miles away.
Continental Airlines says the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 was operating between Newark Liberty International Airport and Buffalo Niagara International Airport.
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