Watch: Tibet Airlines' flight skids off runway, catches fire; minor injuries reported
Images from the scene showed flames and smoke erupting from the plane. To put out the flames, water cannons were fired at the plane. The Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport has resumed normal operations.
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FollowA Tibet Airlines jet carrying 122 people caught fire and ran off the runway following an attempted takeoff in Chongqing, China's southwestern capital on Thursday morning. Tibet Airlines, an Air China affiliate, was ready to take departure from Chongqing Airport towards Nyingchi in Tibet aboard an Airbus A319 when the event occurred. The plane is claimed to be ten years old and has the registration number B-6426.
The tragedy occurred less than two months after a China Eastern Airlines jet crashed, prompting the country's aviation authority to initiate a safety campaign. According to the airline's first statement, all 113 passengers and 9 staff members have been evacuated and are safe, with just minor injuries. According to some accounts, 40 individuals have been hospitalised.
Images from the scene showed flames and smoke erupting from the plane. To put out the flames, water cannons were fired at the plane. The Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport has resumed normal operations.
According to China Global Television Network (CGTN), around 40 persons were hospitalised with minor injuries. Unverified social media footage shows the Tibet Airlines jet on fire, with heavy smoke and flames streaming from the left side of the fuselage while passengers and personnel walk away.
Also Read | Chinese aircraft black box retrieved, reports suggest it went down at speed of sound
According to Airfleets.net, the Airbus A319 is one of the smallest members of the A320 family and is powered by CFM56 engines from CFM International, a joint venture between General Electric and Safran.
Tibet Airlines is a Lhasa-based regional airline. It has a fleet of 39 aircraft, including 28 A319s. What caused the pilots to cancel the takeoff remains unknown.
Also Read | No survivors found in Chinese airliner crash, 132 were aboard
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