Seven Killed In Accident

Chinese aviation authorities say the death toll in the crash of a chartered IL-76 cargo plane has reached seven, after it went down near the town of Urumqi in northwest China's Xinjiang Province.

The Chinese Xinhua News Agency reported the aircraft belonged to a company based in Azerbaijan.

There was no indication of a cause in the crash. Xinhua reported the aircraft attempted a forced landing on a collective farm, but was unable to stop before it hit and destroyed several outbuildings and livestock. The aircraft apparently did little damage to the homes nearby.

Zhang Yuping was doing chores nearby when she heard an explosion. At first, she thought it was a traffic accident on a nearby highway. "But nothing happened on the highway, so I turned my head to the back window. I saw a big plane flying toward my house and thought that was the end of my life," Zhang said. "Somehow the plane swerved and stopped before it could reach my house."

No one on the ground was hurt, according to the official news agency.

Witnesses said the aircraft dove into the ground nose-first, causing tremendous explosions and touching off a huge fire. Seven bodies were recovered from the wreckage.

FMI: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english