A passenger plane crash landed in a Pacific lagoon Friday morning, while attempting to land at a Micronesian airport.
The incident occurred at Chuuk Island in Micronesia Friday, when Air Niugini – a Papua New Guinean airliner –Flight PX073 attempted to land at Chuuk International Airport, Air Niugini said in a statement.
The company cited difficult weather conditions and poor visibility as factors in the crash.
“The aircraft had 35 passengers and 12 crew members aboard, all of whom were able to safely evacuate the aircraft,” the airline said.
A number of passengers did report multiple injuries, however, including several with broken bones.
Matthew Colson, a Baptist missionary on the island, said most of the passengers were Americans and Australians, along with a small number of locals.
The plane failed to reach the runway, Australia’s News9 reported, crash landing into a Pacific lagoon.
Other reports, however, said the plane overshot the runway, crashing into the water after hitting the end of the runway.
“I thought we landed hard, until I looked over and saw a hole in the side of the plane where water was coming in. And I thought ‘Wow, this is not the way it is supposed to happen.’ We came in low - we came in very low,” said passenger Bill Jaynes, who works as editor of The Kaselehlie Press in Pohnpei, Micronesia. “Unfortunately the flight attendants panicked and started yelling. I was trying to be calm and help as much as I could.”