Cuba plane crash kills over 100, 3 survive
Havana, May 19: More than 100 people were killed after a Cubana de Aviacion Boeing 737-200 crashed soon after takeoff from Havana's Jose Marti International Airport, a media report said on Saturday. Three female passengers are in critical condition after surviving the crash.
Flight DMJ 0972 heading from Cuba to Holguin was carrying 111 people, including 105 passengers and six crew members, when it plummeted at 12.08 p.m. on Friday in Santiago de Las Vegas, just miles from the runway, CCN reported.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who was at the scene of the accident, later offered his condolences to the victims' families. He said the cause of the crash was under investigation.
The Boeing was owned by the Mexican airline Aerolíneas Damojh and leased to Cubana de Aviacion, the Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement. The chartered flight "suffered a failure".
The plane appeared to swerve to one side and revved its engines before crashing, said an eyewitness. A large fireball followed by a plume of smoke was visible near the airport, added witnesses.
Search and rescue personnel descended on the area--with some residents helping--as firefighters tried to extinguish the flames.
Cuba announced two days of mourning, during which flags will fly at half-staff.
Boeing issued a statement of condolence and said, "A Boeing technical team stands ready to assist as permitted under US law and at the direction of the US National Transportation Safety Board and Cuban authorities."
In November 2010, a domestic passenger plane with 61 passengers and 7 crew members crashed in Cuba while travelling from Santiago de Cuba to Havana.
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Sanju Samson ton guides India to 61-run win over South Africa
Durban, Nov 8: Sanju Samson scored a scintillating century as India inflicted a 61-run defeat on South Africa in the first T20I here on Friday.
Invited to bat, Samson blazed away to 107 off 50 balls, hitting as many as 10 sixes and seven fours to help India post 202 for 8.
The spin duo of Varun Chakaravarthy (3/25) and Ravi Bishnoi (3/28) then shared six wickets between them to bowl out South Africa for 141 in 17.5 overs.
Earlier, Samson became the first Indian to score back-to-back centuries in T20Is.
The opener notched his second T20I hundred off just 47 balls. His first had come in India's last outing against Bangladesh last month.
However, South Africa clawed their way back into the game as they stemmed the flow of runs by picking wickets in the last five overs.
Pacer Gerald Coetzee who claimed three wickets was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts.
Brief Scores:
India: 202 for 8 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 107, Tilak Verma 33; Gerald Coetzee 3/37)
South Africa: 141 all out in 17.5 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 25; Varun Chakaravarthy 3/25, Ravi Bishnoi 3/28)
