China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight operating on March 21, 2022, from Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, to Guangzhou, in Guangdong province. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft took off on time but soon lost contact with air traffic control over the mountainous region near Wuzhou in Guangxi. Within minutes, it plunged from its cruising altitude in a steep descent and ultimately crashed, resulting in the deaths of all 132 individuals aboard, comprising passengers and crew members.

The search and rescue operations commenced promptly, with rescue teams mobilizing to the crash site. The challenging terrain posed difficulties for recovery efforts, but debris was located in a remote area of the mountains. Investigators from the China Civil Aviation Administration (CAAC) launched an inquiry into the causes of the crash, focusing on factors such as mechanical failure, pilot error, and other potential issues. Preliminary reports revealed that the aircraft had entered a sudden and rapid descent, prompting further scrutiny into its systems and the pilots’ last communications.

This incident marked one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent Chinese history and evoked widespread grief across the nation. As the investigations unfolded, they captured the attention of the global aviation community, with many hoping for swift conclusions to prevent further tragedies. The crash raised serious discussions about the safety protocols and operational practices in aviation, highlighting the need for thorough examinations of the country's aviation regulations and emergency response frameworks.