Cuba plane crash: Black box recovered

Cuban officials have recovered one of two black boxes from the passenger plane carrying 110 people which crashed near Havana airport.

Cuban Transport Minister, Adel Yzquierdo says he hopes the second device will be found soon.

The official death toll has risen up to 110 people, including 11 foreigners. The aging Boeing 737 crashed shortly after take off.

We're here for the identification process that could last, depending on the state of the remains, anywhere from a few days to more than a week.

Experts hope the black box which was found in good condition, will help investigators determine the cause of the crash.

The incident is Cuba’s worst air disaster in decades, and two days of national mourning began on Saturday.

Three women survived the crash, but are said to be in a critical condition.

“We’re here for the identification process that could last, depending on the state of the remains, anywhere from a few days to more than a week, we don’t know. They’re doing DNA tests on her for the identification but we don’t know anything else,“Said janet Petrez Niece of the plane crash victim.

Officials say some investigators are searching through the wreckage of the nearly 40 years old Boeing 737 plane at the place where it crashed some 20km south of the Cuban Capital, Havana.

Cuba crash 737-201 plane's black box recovered

Global Air on behalf of Cubana de Aviación Flight #CU972 (XA-UHZ) Boeing 737-201 (Adv) crashed shortly after takeoff near a railway outside Havana-José Martí International Airport, Cuba. Killing 108 of 111. https://t.co/OvJRaPWXDJ pic.twitter.com/8DHgtGABW2

— мaттιaѕ wacнтмeιѕтer (@mattiaswac) May 19, 2018

The dead included 99 Cubans and 11 foreigners but Cuban authorities do not plan to release a full list of the dead until all victims’ families have been informed.