Date: 25 May 2002
Airline: China Airlines
Flight No.: 611
Aircraft: Boeing 747-209B
Location: Taiwan Strait - off Penghu, Taiwan
Fatalities: 225:225
Photographer: AP
Note: This photo added August 19, 2002.
The aircraft [B-18255] departed Taiwan's Chiang Kai Shek Airport at 2:50pm local time for the 1hr 20min flight to Hong Kong. About 20 minutes after takeoff, while cruising at FL350, the aircraft disappeared from radar screens and crashed into the Taiwan Strait between Taiwan and China. Radar data suggests that the aircraft broke into four pieces while at FL350. This theory is supported by the fact that articles which would have been found inside the aircraft (magazines, etc.) were found up to 80 miles from the crash site. There was no sign of an explosion on the recovered debris, and no distress call was received from the flight crew. Weather around the time of the accident was clear.
