Three Years After China Eastern Plane Crash, Families and Industry Still Await Answers as Regulator Delays Report
Beijing/Seoul, March 22, 2025 – Three years have passed since the tragic crash of China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735, which claimed the lives of all 132 passengers and crew aboard a Boeing 737-800 on March 21, 2022. Yet, China’s aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), has not released a comprehensive report on the incident, leaving grieving families, the aviation industry, and the public in the dark about what caused the deadliest air disaster in China in over three decades.
The flight, en route from Kunming to Guangzhou, plummeted from a cruising altitude of 29,000 feet into a hillside in the southwestern Guangxi region, about an hour after takeoff. The sudden nosedive, captured in chilling footage and flight data, stunned aviation experts worldwide due to its rarity and severity. Despite the recovery of the plane’s black boxes—critical tools for understanding the crash’s cause—the CAAC has provided only sparse updates, fueling frustration and speculation.
In the three years since the disaster, the CAAC has issued a preliminary report in April 2022 and two brief anniversary statements, each just a few paragraphs long. These updates confirmed that the crew held valid licenses, had adequate rest, and passed health checks, and that no dangerous weather or goods were reported on board. However, they offered no insight into why the plane abruptly descended or what the flight data and cockpit voice recorders revealed. The regulator has repeatedly described the investigation as “very complicated and extremely rare,” promising to release information as it progresses, but no final report has materialized.
Relatives of the victims, desperate for closure, have expressed growing dismay. “Three years is too long to wait for answers,” said one family member, speaking anonymously to Reuters. “We just want to know what happened to our loved ones.” The lack of transparency has also drawn attention on Chinese social media platforms like Xiaohongshu and Weibo, where users have questioned the delay and speculated about the findings.
The crash’s mystery deepened in May 2022 when The Wall Street Journal reported, citing U.S. officials familiar with a preliminary assessment, that black box data suggested someone in the cockpit intentionally downed the plane. The CAAC swiftly dismissed such claims as speculation that “gravely misled the public” and interfered with the investigation. Since then, the regulator has remained tight-lipped, even as the black boxes were analyzed by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with China’s cooperation.
Aviation experts note that while complex investigations can take years, the absence of a detailed interim or final report three years on is unusual. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recommends a final report within a year, or anniversary updates if delayed, but the CAAC’s brief statements fall short of global standards for transparency. “This delay raises questions about whether there are findings the authorities are reluctant to share,” said an aviation safety analyst who requested anonymity.
The silence comes amid broader concerns in the global aviation community about unresolved crash investigations. A recent paper by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and other bodies highlighted delays in final reports worldwide, noting their importance in preventing future accidents. For China Eastern Flight MU5735, the lack of clarity has left safety lessons unlearned and the Boeing 737-800’s operational record under scrutiny, though no mechanical issues have been publicly flagged.
Adding to the context, Chinese lawmakers are now considering revisions to the country’s civil aviation law, including measures to curb rumors about aviation safety, according to a CAAC statement last month. Some observers speculate this could be linked to the crash, though no official connection has been confirmed.
As the third anniversary passes, the CAAC has not responded to inquiries about when—or if—a final report will be released. For now, the cause of the China Eastern disaster remains an enigma, testing the patience of those seeking answers and underscoring the challenges of balancing thorough investigation with timely disclosure in one of the world’s largest aviation markets.
