At least 21 people are confirmed dead after a TransAsia Airways plane clipped a bridge and crashed into the river in Taiwan Wednesday.

Seventeen people were injured and 22 others are still missing after the crash. Rescuers are still struggling to find survivors feared trapped in the plane's wreckage.

Like Us on Facebook

Taiwanese authorities said rescuers are finding it difficult to reach the victims as passenger seats are mangled and that some parts of the plane are stuck in the riverbed. 

Taiwan's official news agency CNA reported search teams have recovered the aircraft's black boxes. The flight data and voice data recorder were found in the tail of the plane, Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council said. 

The two recorders will provide necessary information, such as accurate flight history, including the conversation of the pilots. A spokesman for the council said investigators are set to begin reading the data Wednesday night. 

TransAsia Chief Executive Officer Chen Xinde expressed deep apologies to the victims and crew.

Chen said 31 of the 58 of the passengers the plane was carrying were Chinese tourists, including three children. Twenty-two of them were from Taiwan.

TransAsia had given authorities a copy of the passenger manifest, and families have begun confirming the identities of the deceased.

TransAsia Flight GE235 went out of control above the Nanhu Bridge shortly before it crashed into the Keelung River Wednesday morning.

Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said the plane was less than a year old, and had undergone a complete safety check a week before the crash.

TagsTransAsia, plane crash, Taiwan