All 165 passengers escape plane explosion

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Source: CCTV.com | 08-21-2007 13:13

A China Airlines airplane burns after an explosion in Naha on Japan's southern island of Okinawa August 20, 2007. The left engine of a Boeing 737-800 jet belonging to Taiwan-based China Airlines exploded shortly after arrival in Naha city from Taipei, ripping the plane apart, officials and witnesses said, but all 165 passengers and crew escaped safely. REUTERS/Kyodo (JAPAN)

Investigators are searching for clues after the 165 passengers and crew on board a China Airlines 737 narrowly escaped an explosion. It happened on an airport tarmac on the Japanese island of Okinawa.

A mobile phone video shows passengers fleeing the plane on emergency slides after smoke began billowing outside the plane Monday morning.

One of the passengers said the emergency evacuation took no more than 90 seconds.

The Boeing 737-800 then burst into flames as the last crew member, the pilot, jumped out from the plane's cockpit window.

All passengers and crew were able to make it out of the plane with just moments to spare. There were no reports of injuries amid the emergency evacuation.

Passenger on board, said, "We smelt smoke, smoke from burning in the beginning then we saw fire on both sides of the wing. When it started to burn, after our evacuation, we saw a few continuous explosions in the engine."

The fire was put out about an hour later, leaving the aircraft charred and mangled.

China Airlines officials say the aircraft skidded on the tarmac near the terminal after landing, starting a fire and prompting the emergency evacuation. They said the blaze erupted when the plane's left engine exploded.

Japanese authorities say airport traffic controllers received no indication of any problem from the pilot of the airliner, before the accident. Taiwan authorities will send a team to Japan to investigate the cause of the accident.

Editor:Du Xiaodan