Passengers swim for life as plane overshoots runway and ditches into Pacific lagoon

The passengers had to swim for their lives after they found themselves sinking in lagoon, minutes before plane could make a landing.

Image: Twitter @comeheaman

New Delhi:  It was a narrow escape for the passengers of Air Niugini’s flight which could avert major mishap after it overshot a runway and landed into a lagoon. The incident took place on a remote Micronesian island on Friday, as the plane comes down in a lagoon off Chuuk International Airport in the Pacific Ocean. The passengers had to swim for their lives after they found themselves sinking in lagoon just minutes before landing in their respective destination. As per report in Pacific Daily News, the plane was attempting to land at Weno airport and ended up in Chuuk lagoon said airport official Jimmy Emilio. As per reports there were 36 passengers and 11 crew members and all of them were safe.  Though the passengers did not sustain any serious injuries they were taken to hospital for checkups. As per reports Papua New Guinea’s Accident Investigation Commission was preparing to send a team to the accident site The cause of the crash has not yet been identified. In the pictures of the accident that appeared on the social media, locals can be seen helping the passengers into boats beside the stricken and half submerged plane. Air Niugini is Papua New Guinea's national airline. Here are some pictures and videos of the incident shared on Twitter

#airnuiguini landed in the water in #chuuk pic.twitter.com/xvvQcacdI7

— Mang Ruu (@COMEHEAMAN) September 28, 2018

Bill Jaynes expresses his appreciation to those who fled out to help them. Bill Jaynes is one of the passengers that remained calm to assist the crewmen in accommodation of the passengers onboard. #AirNiugini #Chuuk pic.twitter.com/xpmW4VaAdn

— HK (@hollinsterr) September 28, 2018

46 passengers and 11 crew members on #AirNiugini flight that crashed in ##Chuuk, #FSM today. The airline confirmed that its Boeing 737-800 series aircraft, P2-PXE landed short of the runway whilst landing at Chuuk Island of the Federated States of Micronesia this morning. pic.twitter.com/kMhOvLWBdH

— makereta komai (@burebasgal) September 28, 2018

Aircraft crash off #Chuuk @fsmtweets thankfully all POB rescued @FAANews @AirCrashMayday @airlivenet @USCGHawaiiPac awesome response by locals and agencies #CommunityResponse #SavingLives pic.twitter.com/DOQBrRUPsT

— Anthony Blake (@fijimedic) September 28, 2018