At least 100 people were killed after a Cuban-operated airliner crashed and burned in a cassava field just after takeoff from the Havana airport on Friday. As reported by CNN, three passengers are said to be in a critical condition. According to the reports, the Boeing 737 went down just after noon a short distance from the end of the runway at Jose Marti International Airport while on a short-hop flight to the eastern city of Holguin.

A total of 104 passengers were said to be on-board.  A team of search and rescue personnel is working at the location along with help of some locals.

Following the incident Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel arrived at the location. “There is a high number of people who appear to have died,” President said from the scene. “Things have been organised, the fire has been put out, and the remains are being identified.”

It was earlier reported that the flight was bound for Guyana. Earlier Cubana de Aviacion had to disown some aging flights due to their suspected malfunctioning. The exact cause of the recent crash has not been ascertained.

Notaby, tt was Cuba’s third major aviation accident since 2010. Last year a Cuban military plane crashed into a hillside in the western province of Artemisa, killing eight soldiers.