(Bloomberg) -- A Boeing Co. 737-800NG plane operated by China Eastern Airlines Corp. crashed Monday in the southwestern Chinese province of Guangxi. 

There were 132 people on board -- 123 passengers and nine crew.

Representatives for China Eastern and Boeing weren’t immediately available for comment.

We’re tracking the story, live. 

Key Developments:

  • The jet was traveling from Kunming in Yunnan province to the manufacturing center of Guangzhou, according to FlightRadar24.
  • Radar tracking shows the plane descended steeply.
  • Video posted on social media purported to be from the crash site shows a fire in a heavily wooded area.

China Eastern Releases Statement (5:52pm Beijing)

China Eastern released a statement confirming the facts of the crash and adding details of an emergency assistance phone line for family members.

China Eastern’s website, mobile app and some of its social media platforms were turned to black and white in a sign of mourning. 

Crash Site Videos Emerge (5:10pm Beijing)

Eyewitness videos posted to social media showed a forest fire on a mountainside at what was purported to be the crash site. China Central Television said the blaze that was triggered by the crash has now been put out.

Type of Jet (4:50pm Beijing)

The 737-800 NG has one of the best saftey records among jetliners, with just eight fatal accidents out of more than 7,000 sold as of 2018, Boeing has said. The China Eastern aircraft was six years old, according to FlightRadar. 

The 737-800 NG, or Next Generation, preceded Boeing’s 737 Max, which still hasn’t returned to commercial service in China -- the first country to ground the jet in March 2019 following crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia.  

Aviation Regulator Confirms Crash (4:30pm Beijing)

The China Civil Aviation Authority, or CAAC, confirmed the crash in a statement on its website. CAAC said there were 123 passengers and nine crew on board. 

The regulator said it dispatched working group to the scene and initiated an emergency response. 

It’s unclear whether there will be a media briefing or further communication from the regulator. 

Link to statement (in Chinese) here.  

State Media Report Plane Accident (4pm Beijing)

Chinese state-backed media including the official Xinhua news agency start reporting news of an accident involving a China Eastern Boeing jet. 

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