China Eastern flight crashes en route to Guangzhou

A China Eastern Airlines passenger plane with 132 people on board has crashed near the city of Wuzhou, according to state media.

According to broadcaster CCTV, the China Eastern flight between Kunming and Guangzhou crashed in a mountainous region.

The number of casualties on board the six-year-old Boeing 737-800 was not immediately known but rescue teams have been sent to the crash site and say a fire in woods caused by the downed aircraft has been extinguished.

"Can confirm the plane has crashed," said China Eastern Airlines in a statement. It also gave details of a hotline for relatives of those on board.

China's Civil Aviation Administration said it has dispatched investigators to the site but Chinese media cited a rescue official as saying the plane had completely disintegrated.

As of 1045 GMT, Boeing shares had slumped 9.57% in pre-market trading to $176.87 each.