The National Transportation Safety Board is dispatching a team of investigators to assist the government of China in its investigation of Saturday's crash of a Boeing/McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, operated by Avient Air (registration Z-BAV).

Saturday, at approximately 8:14 a.m. local time, the aircraft, flight #SMJ324, crashed on takeoff at Pudong Airport in Shanghai, China, under unknown circumstances. This cargo flight originated in Shanghai and its destination was Harare, Zimbabwe.

Of the 7 crew members onboard, 3 are reported to have suffered fatal injuries and 4 have suffered serious injuries.

NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman has designated senior investigator Bill English as the U.S. Accredited Representative. His team will include an NTSB structures specialist, as well as technical advisors from the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, and Pratt & Whitney. The investigation is being conducted by China's General Administration of Civil Aviation.

Boeing Issues Statement

Boeing has recently learned that an MD-11 freighter airplane crashed shortly after takeoff from Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Saturday morning (local time). All of us at Boeing wish to offer our condolences to the family and friends of those who lost their lives in the crash. We will keep the injured crew members and their families in our thoughts. At the invitation of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, Boeing is providing technical assistance to the investigation in coordination with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.

FMI: www.caac.gov.cn, www.avient.aero