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Airliner crash lands at Heathrow Airliner crash lands at Heathrow
(20 minutes later)
An international passenger plane has crash landed short of the runway at Heathrow Airport.An international passenger plane has crash landed short of the runway at Heathrow Airport.
Passengers escaped down the emergency chutes after British Airways flight BA038 from Beijing came down. All 136 passengers and 16 crew escaped down the Boeing 777's emergency chutes after British Airways flight BA038 from Beijing came down.
All 136 passengers on board the Boeing 777 were evacuated, with reports of four people suffering minor injuries. Six people have been taken to hospital suffering minor injuries, reports say.
The incident happened as Prime Minister Gordon Brown was due to leave Heathrow for China and India. His flight was delayed because of the incident.The incident happened as Prime Minister Gordon Brown was due to leave Heathrow for China and India. His flight was delayed because of the incident.
Downing Street said at about 1430 GMT that Gordon Brown had taken off. On its approach it took the runway too low, just missing the roof of my cab John Rowland, eyewitness Eyewitness accounts
The south runway is closed while investigators examine the scene - the north runway remains open.The south runway is closed while investigators examine the scene - the north runway remains open.
On its approach it took the runway too low, just missing the roof of my cab John Rowland, eyewitness
Eyewitness John Rowland said: "The plane's wheels collapsed, doors were flown open.Eyewitness John Rowland said: "The plane's wheels collapsed, doors were flown open.
"On its approach it took the runway too low, just missing the roof of my cab."On its approach it took the runway too low, just missing the roof of my cab.
"It crashed into the runway, debris was flying everywhere, there was an enormous bang and it skidded sideways.""It crashed into the runway, debris was flying everywhere, there was an enormous bang and it skidded sideways."
BA has set up a helpline for anyone concerned about friends or relatives: 0800 3894193
BA said the cabin crew had done an "excellent job" evacuating passengers, and that it would release more information as soon as it was available.BA said the cabin crew had done an "excellent job" evacuating passengers, and that it would release more information as soon as it was available.
A telephone helpline has been set up for anyone concerned about friends or relatives on 0800 3894193.A telephone helpline has been set up for anyone concerned about friends or relatives on 0800 3894193.
Chief executive of BA Willie Walsh said he was "very proud" of the crew.
Fernando Pardo was a passenger on the plane itself. He told the BBC there was "no sign whatsoever of any trouble until we touched the ground".
"It was so quick that you could not even realise what exactly happened. There was no panic at all," Mr Pardo said.
Huge amount of smokeHuge amount of smoke
Another eyewitness, Nick Gray, told BBC News: "We were taxiing along ready to take off and certainly out of the window I could see a plane coming in to land.Another eyewitness, Nick Gray, told BBC News: "We were taxiing along ready to take off and certainly out of the window I could see a plane coming in to land.
"I'm not quite sure if the undercarriage was missing or not, but certainly what we saw was the plane coming down."I'm not quite sure if the undercarriage was missing or not, but certainly what we saw was the plane coming down.
"There were some sparks as the undercarriage or the bottom of the plane actually touched the runway - certainly a huge amount of smoke coming up from that."There were some sparks as the undercarriage or the bottom of the plane actually touched the runway - certainly a huge amount of smoke coming up from that.
"And then the plane did come to a halt reasonably quickly.
"It was incredibly efficient the speed that people got off the aircraft."It was incredibly efficient the speed that people got off the aircraft.
"I could see that the chutes were deployed very quickly and people were coming down on that.
"Then people were sent off to the nearby buildings which are probably only about 200 yards away from the plane.
"There about six fire engines there now.
"There seems to have been regular dousing of foam on the port engine which obviously probably was the hottest one where the plane landed."There seems to have been regular dousing of foam on the port engine which obviously probably was the hottest one where the plane landed.
"Certainly there is a lot of activity and lots of vehicles with flashing lights all around the plane.""Certainly there is a lot of activity and lots of vehicles with flashing lights all around the plane."
Some flights bound for Heathrow are being diverted to Stansted and Luton Airports.Some flights bound for Heathrow are being diverted to Stansted and Luton Airports.


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