Dozens survive Kazakh air crash HUGE WIN FOR NETANYAHU IN VOTE FOR PARTY LEADERSHIP
12 KILLED Bek Air plane, carrying 100 passengers and crew, slams into a building shortly after take-off from Almaty
ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN: Twelve people died when a plane carrying 100 passengers and crew crashed shortly after take-off f rom Kazakhstan’s largest city on Friday and slammed into a house, but many on board survived.
A video released by the Central Asian country’s emergencies committee showed the 23-year-old plane operated by budget carrier Bek Air torn into pieces with its nose crushed into a collapsed house, as rescue crews worked to pull people from the wreckage.
The aircraft disappeared from the radar minutes after it took off from Almaty airport at 7.05am local time on its way to the capital Nur-sultan with 95 passengers and five crew members, the airport authority said in a statement. It hit a concrete barrier and then slammed into a two-storey building near the city’s boundary northeast of the airport.
Kazakhstan responded to the crash by grounding the Fokker model, which makes up the whole of the Bek Air fleet, and launched an investigation.
The country’s emergencies committee released a list of 12 people who died, including the captain, revising down earlier tolls provided by officials and media.
The country’s health ministry said 53 people had been injured, nine of them children, adding that 10 adults were in critical condition.
Deputy Pri me Minister Roman Sklyar said the tail of the plane had touched the runway twice during take-off. “Either this is a pilot error, or there were technical reasons,” Sklyar said at a press conference in Almaty. “The aircraft split into two parts. Most of the passengers who died were in the front part.”
A purported recording of communications between a dispatcher at Almaty airport and the Bek Air crew that was broadcast by Russian private media REN TV heard the craft’s pilot wish the dispatcher a “good day” before being cleared for take-off.
Soon after, the dispatcher appeared to lose touch with the pilot and later warned the next plane to delay its take-off.
“Astana 671, we do not know where the Fokker 100 is located,” the dispatcher said. No one was inside the house that the plane crashed into.
President Kassym-jomart Tokayev pledged to provide families of the victims with compensation and tweeted that those responsible “will be punished in accordance with the law”.
JERUSALEM: Embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a “huge” victory Friday, after winning a leadership primary that ensures he will lead his right-wing Likud party into a March general election.
Israel’s longest-serving premier, who faces a corruption indictment and a third general election in 12 months, was expected to beat rival Gideon Saar but the convincing margin of victory strengthened his position in the party he has dominated for 20 years.
With all votes counted, the Likud announced that Netanyahu had secured 72.5%, with Saar winning 27.5%.
“A huge win! Thank you to Likud members for their trust, support and love,” Netanyahu tweeted. “With god’s and your help, I will lead the Likud to a big victory in the upcoming election and we will continue to lead the State of Israel to unprecedented achievements.”
Most media commentators had predicted a Netanyahu victory but its scale made banner headlines. “Netanyahu, big time,” said Yediot Aharonot, Israel’s top-selling daily.