Picture: ImageShackA ConViasa flight from Porlamar-island (ICAO code KPMV) to Puerto Ordaz airport (ICAO:n koodi SVPR) in Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela, had an accident 6 miles from the destination. Of 43 passangers and 4 crew members at least 23 have survived.
Conviasa was founded in 2004 and it operates 15 aircraft, the flag ship is the sole Airbus A340-200.
Before today's accident ConViasa had already one previous fatal accident in 2007, in which their Boeing 737 (YV102T) flew into terrain while on approach to Caracas. In that accident two crew members and one passenger were killed. The accident was a CFIT, controlled flight into terrain. The flight had gone outside the approach procedure's protected zone by executing a base turn late and hit a side of a vulcano.
ConViasa is owned by the government and was founded as a successor for the previous Venezuelan State-owned airline, Viasa, that went bust in 1997. The founding was done on the orders of the colourful president Hugo Chavez. ConViasa is keeping a good comapany otherwise as well, it is code sharing with Aeroflot, Iran Air and Cubana.
Viasa flew from 1960 and it had a fairly good safety record, a couple of major accidents during the 60's but after those things had gone without major mishaps.
