Boeing 737 plane carrying 133 passengers crashes in China

A passenger plane with 133 people on board crashed on Monday afternoon in a mountainous area in southern China, sending rescue teams rushing to the site in search of survivors.

The Boeing 737 plane, operated by China Eastern Airlines, went down in the Guangxi region, and flames and smoke could be seen rising from a hillside, initial Chinese news reports said, citing local officials, reports The New York Times.

“Currently a rescue team has assembled and is approaching,” said an online report issued by Chinese state television. “The situation with casualties remains unclear.”

The crash could become one of China’s worst air disasters in many years. Over the past few decades, the country has established a relatively safe flying record, thanks to a young fleet of planes and stricter air controls.