HAVANA, Cuba, May 18 (ACN) The President of the Cuban Council of State and Ministers, Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez regretted the tragic air accident Friday afternoon close to the Jose Marti International Airport after the Boeing 737-200 fell after takeoff.
Diaz-Canel together with Government and Party authorities arrived immediately at the site of the accident of the aircraft belonging to the Mexican Damojh Company and leased by Cubana Airlines departing from Havana to the eastern city of Holguin on flight DMJ 0972 with 104 passengers aboard.
In statements to Cuban Television, the Head of State expressed his condolences to the families of the victims of the accident.
He said that there was an immediate response of the authorities with the presence of personnel from Public Health, Firefighters, Forensic experts, Interior and Transportation Ministries, Party and provincial government.
The Cuban President said that action to this type of event was taken immediately and the remains of the victims are being identified, in addition to the creation of a commission of the Interior Ministry to investigate the causes of the accident.
He confirmed that there was no damage to civil centers or homes close to the area where the aircraft went down and highlighted that the population in the zone quickly arrived to the scene to cooperate with the rescue actions.
In addition, present in the area was First Vice President of the Council of States and Ministers, Salvador Valdes Mesa and the First Secretary of the Communist Party in Havana, Mercedes Lopez Acea.
Reports as of 10pm Friday May 18th, indicate that there are three survivors of the airplane crash currently in serious condition at the Calixto Garcia University Hospital where they are receiving specialized medical attention.
Meanwhile, a special command post has been created at the Frank Pais International Airport in Holguin with Army General Ramon Espinosa Martin, and the first Secretary of the Communist Party of the eastern province, Luis Antonio Torres Iribar and other authorities.
Family members of victims of the air crash are on their way to Havana to identify their loved ones.
The previous civilian air accident was in November of 2000 when an Aerocaribbean Airlines aircraft crashed from Santiago de Cuba to Havana. As a consequence of the accident 68 passengers died: four Cuban nationals and 28 foreigners.
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