An Air China flight carrying 155 passengers and at least 10 crewmembers has crashed near South Korea's second largest city of Pusan.

South Korean television showed a photograph of an Air China jet broken in half and in flames. According to CNN report, there are about 36 passengers from South Korea and most of others from China.

A transportation official said that crew members were feared dead, but there were conflicting repots by local media that a dozen passengers survived the crash. The report has not been confirmed by South Korean aviation authorities.

Reports said the Boeing 767 crashed around 11:40 am (0240 GMT) near Kimhae airport, which serves the port city of Pusan on the Sea of Japan.

Flight CA129 crashed in a residential area near the southern South Korean city of Gimhae while on a flight between Beijing and the city of Busan, a South Korean aviation official said.

There were no reports of casualties on the ground.

Firefighters and rescue workers were on the scene.

Weather conditions at the time was poor, with fog, winds and rain. A number of international flights were turned back from the airport Monday morning as a result.

(eastday.com April 15, 2002)