Update On The China Plane: No Survivor Was Found

Authorities have yet to declare a death toll, but there has been no indication that any of the 132 people on board survived.

The recovery of the intact cockpit voice recorder, on the other hand, is expected to provide clues.

The black box was discovered damaged on the outside, but officials said its internal records appeared to be in good condition, and it was sent to Beijing for data analysis. 

The cockpit voice recorder was discovered undamaged and will aid in the investigations. Heavy rains have flooded the steep and rugged landscape of the crash site in Wuzhou, complicating efforts for hundreds of rescuers and volunteers, who have discovered scattered plane debris and the charred remains of personal belongings so far.

President Xi Jinping immediately ordered a thorough investigation into the tragedy, dispatching Vice Premier Liu He and hundreds of personnel to the rural hillside region of Guangxi province.

At a press conference on Wednesday, aviation officials stated that the flight encountered no weather or other hazards on its route.

The Boeing 737-800 plane, which is less than seven years old, also passed all pre-flight checks, according to China Eastern. Investigators are expected to look into various potential causes, such as deliberate action, pilot error, or technical issues such as a structural failure or mid-air collision.

China's investigators have also invited US aviation experts to participate in the investigation, as the Boeing plane was built in the United States. The US accepted the invite; however, due to China's strict Covid quarantine requirements for incoming visitors, the US officials said they were unsure whether they would send a team.

Meanwhile, China's aviation officials are conducting a two-week safety audit of all planes, and China Eastern has grounded the Boeing 737-800 fleet as an emergency precaution.