The black box of a crashed plane in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province was found Wednesday morning, Xinhua photographers at the scene said Wednesday. The Henan Airlines plane with 91 passengers and five crew crashed late Tuesday near the Lindu airport on the outskirts of Yichun, killing 42 people and injuring 54 others. [Xihhua photo]

China on Wednesday started the official probe into the Yichun plane crash which killed 42 people and injured 54 others while domestic airlines were ordered to overhaul safety measures.

The State Council, or China's Cabinet, has set up a special work group to probe the cause of the crash. Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao ordered a thorough investigation and beefed-up efforts to ensure air travel safety.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang, who led an investigation team to the lush forested city of Yichun overnight after the crash, headed the work group.

Zhang called upon the work-group's first meeting Wednesday but details of the meeting were not made public.

Li Jian, vice director of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), told Xinhua that the work group has started to gather evidence for the probe, but the process would take some time.

A Brazil-made ERJ-190 turbine jet of Henan Airlines crashed during the landing at the forests-surrounded Lindu Airport of Yichun City late Tuesday night, killing 42 and injuring 54 passengers and the crew on board.