Toll in Taiwan plane crash rises to 40

Taipei/Beijing, Feb 7: Rescue workers recovered five more bodies from the Keelung River in Taipei Saturday, three days after TransAsia Airways flight GE235 crashed, taking the toll to 40. Three passengers were still missing. There were 15 survivors. Thirty one tourists from the Chinese mainland who had just completed visits to Taiwan were also on board the plane bound for Kinmen when the tragedy happened and at least 26 of them died in the crash. Rescuers found the bodies in waters 500 metres, 600 metres and one km downstream from the crash site, Xinhua news agency reported citing Taiwan's disaster response centre. A public memorial ceremony has been scheduled Feb 10 in Taipei to mourn the victims of the crash.