Rescuers continue to search for survivors from a plane crash in Southern China, as families of those onboard gather at a nearby airport waiting anxiously for updates.
China eastern flight mu5735 was carrying 132 people when it crashed into hills in Guangxi province.
The tragedy has sparked widespread grief in china and president Xi Jinping has ordered a full-scale investigation.
RELATED: Plane Conveying 133 Passengers Crashes In China
The Boeing 737-800 plane dropped thousands of meters in three minutes, flight tracker data showed.
According to flightradar24, the plane was cruising at 29,100 feet, but two minutes and 15 seconds later it was recorded at 9,075 feet.
Local media reported they had found parts of the wreckage and were still in a search for survivors through debris scattered over mountainous, rugged terrain.
The plane crash into the ground had sparked a forest fire which was later put out, leaving deep scorch marks on trees, according to reporters on the scene.
The number of casualties is not yet known, and there are fears of no survivors.
READ NEXT: Former Mali Prime Minister on Trial for Corruption Dies In Detention
