BREAKING: FATAL CRASH IN BLAINE COUNTY

This is a breaking news story. More news to come.

An Air Emu flight bound for Port Mercer, Lincoln crashed suddenly after takeoff from Los Santos International Airport, killing ten people.

A joint investigation from the Federal Investigation Bureau, Transit and Aviation Division of the Department of Transportation and Los Santos Police Department is underway. Sources close to the response task team informed Weazel News that the aircraft's blackbox has been recovered but the cause of the crash has yet to be identified. Leaked air traffic control audio suggests there was an autopilot malfunction that ultimately resulted in the crash. 

The aircraft involved in the incident was an early model of the Buckingham Shamal. It first flew in 1992 and entered service with Air Emu in 2012.

Aviation safety campaigners have begun petitioning the Department of Transportation to review all civilian aircraft bound to and from LSIA to prevent another disaster from occuring.

The San Andreas transportation secretary, Nathan Redford, commented that the investigation is ongoing and that the state "expresses its deepest condolences to the loved ones of the passengers and crew of Air Emu 637." When asked if SADOT would be investigating Air Emu or Buckingham about the incident, he noted, "We respect the hard and often dangerous work that our first responders do. We are not jumping into any accusations at this sensitive time. I've instructed the department to await an official declaration from the response task team before taking any further actions related to this incident."

Buckingham's Shamal jet plane has a long history of being a "safe, small capacity" jetplane. Shamal's have been in service 1987 and continue to be used by airlines globally. Air safety advocates express concern over aging aircraft.

Air Emu released a statement Friday afternoon expressing their condolences to those lost and that an internal investigation would be conducted. They reassured Air Emu passengers that all flights continue to meet the highest safety standards and that no flights will take off without thorough inspection.

Drivers planning travel on Catfish View are advised to find alternative routes. Police blockades have been stationed for a quarter-mile starting at El Gordo Drive.  East Boat Co. Rental has advised that they will be closed until the road is reopened.

Buckingham declined to comment as the investigation into the Air Emu crash is still ongoing.