Video: Taiwan TransAsia Plane Involved in Frightening Crash

Footage has emerged from a deadly accident Wednesday of a TransAsia Airways plane clipping a bridge and smashing into a Taiwanese river. According to reports, at least 23 of the 58 passengers are confirmed dead, while another 20 people are still missing. So far, 15 are confirmed to have survived the crash with hopes that a few more could be added to that number.

The incident involving this ATR-72 turbo-prop plane occurred shortly after takeoff from the Taipei Songsham Airport and is the second TransAsia  ATR-72 crash in the last seven months– the last being back in July in which 48 people were killed and another 15 injured.

Reports state that the plane involved in Wednesday’s accident was headed for the Kinmen Islands, which is just off the coast Xiamen, a large Chinese city.

In a recording released on local media, the final communication from the pilots of Wednesday’s crash was “Mayday, mayday, engine flame out.”

As seen in the video, the plane comes crashing down over the city skyline and heads right for the downtown bridge.

In an interview with local media, an eyewitness says, “I saw a taxi, probably just metres ahead of me, being hit by one wing of the plane. The plane was huge and really close to me. I’m still trembling.”

Airline officials have already held a press conference to address the issue; chief executive Peter Chen said, “We would like to convey our apologies to the families (of the victims) and we’d also like to voice huge thanks to rescuers who have been racing against time.”

Currently, rescue workers are at the scene in an attempt to save lives. A senior rescue official told reporters, “The focus of our work is to try to use cranes to lift the front part of the wreckage, which is submerged under the water and is where most of the other passengers are feared trapped.”