Passenger plane with 100 passengers makes emergency landing in Russia
A Russian plane has crash landed and skidded across an icy runway as it was forced to rapidly evacuate the 100 passengers on board due to fears of fire.
Passengers used the emergency chutes and climbed over the wing to get out of the plane as it lay on the tarmac at Usinsk airport in Komi, 1,900 kilometres out of Moscow.
The plane hit the runway tail first due to problems with its landing gear.
None of the 94 passengers or crew members were injured, but one woman sought medical assistance according to local authorities.
Passenger Alexander Panin explained his experience on the flight to local authorities, according to The Daily Mail.
“The flight was normal but as we were landing either due to bad weather or some other reason the plane violently shook horizontally.
“It hit the ground so that the landing gear was torn off and we felt that were skidding along the runway as if not able to brake at all,” he said.
“We all realised that the landing gear was broken. We didn’t feel that the plane was stopping - we were skidding towards the end of the runway.”
The pilot then turned the plane into thicker snow on the side of the runway to avoid damaging the plane.
“The right wing was broken and we saw the fuel gushing out. It was all happening very quickly,” he continued.
“The crew has ordered us to evacuate from the left side, and we got out quickly. Naturally by the end of it there was quite a panic.
“The crew acted very fast and confidently, and helped with their actions to avoid more panic. Fire appliances were by the plane in minutes.”
The airline has since thanked the crew for their “prompt and highly professional actions”.