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Search begins for bodies after Taiwan plane crash

Taiwanese search and rescue teams have begun the grisly task of recovering bodies from the sea near where a China Airlines jumbo jet crashed earlier this evening.

Officials say more than a hundred bodies can be seen floating in the water off Taiwan's west coast.

China correspondent Tom O'Byrne reports 225 people were on board the plane which was on its way from Taipei to Hong Kong.

Air authorities in Taiwan say the Boeing 747-200 went down mid afternoon off the island of Penghu, a tourist getaway just off the Taiwanese mainland. Rescue helicopters and Taiwan's coastguard, soon on the scene found an oil slick and plane wreckage, including a door and some life jackets. A China Airlines official says the 747 had been flying more than 20 years and was due to be retired from service later this year.

26/05/2002 05:01:00 | ABC Radio Australia News

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