Air Niugini plane comes down in Micronesia lagoon

(FASTNEWS|COLOMBO) – A passenger aircraft has come down in a lagoon off Chuuk International Airport in Micronesia after it overshot the runway, say airport officials.

Images circulating online showed the Air Niugini plane, from Papua New Guinea, sitting in shallow water just off the coast.

None of the 35 passengers and 12 crew onboard flight ANG73 suffered serious injuries.

The cause of the crash is unclear, but investigations are due to begin soon.

“The plane crashed in the lagoon, about 160 yards away from the runway,” Chuuk airport manager Jimmy Emilio told the BBC.

“Right now we don’t really know what happened. Investigations will start earliest tomorrow, but [for now], operations are starting again as usual in the airport.”

Mr Emilio said all those onboard the Boeing 737-800 aircraft were taken to hospital for checks, saying he believed some suffered from “minor injuries”.

The aircraft was flying from the island of Pohnpei in Micronesia to Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, stopping at Micronesia’s Weno island on the way.

Courtesy : BBC