A flight from Seoul, South Korea crashes while landing at San Francisco International Airport this morning.
While dozens have reportedly been treated for serious injuries —
NBC-5’s Roma Villavicencio has been following the story since it broke and joins us live with the very latest.
Asiana Airlines flight 214 crashed and burned today while landing at San Francisco International Airport.
Plumes of smoke billowed out of the roof of the Boeing 777 after the plane landed on the tarmac.
Witnesses say parts of the plane were breaking off at touchdown, the aircraft rocked and then began to spin.
“Right when it started to coast for the landing, all of the sudden the engine was like [whirring noise], like it sped up the whole time, like the pilot knew he was short. And then just ‘boom’, the back end just hit, the tail flies up in the air, everyone’s head goes to the ceiling. Then it just kind of drifts for a little bit, probably a good 300 yards. Then it tips over, fire starts, everyone’s pushing the doors out.”
The latest report from officials says that 291 passengers were on board, twopeople have died in the crash, at least 82 passengers have been transported to area hospitals,and 60 people are still unaccounted for.
At this hour investigators are searching for answers, but a National Security official says there are no signs of terrorism.
Back here in Medford all flights to and from San Francisco have been cancelled for the day. I talked to travelers and some were frustrated while others just want to know when their next flight will be.
“I’m going to have to queue with these good people. I’ll probably be here for another couple hours at least. Then see what they can do about scheduling us out in a couple hours and what they’re going to compensate us with.”
“Scared, nervous, didn’t know what was going on. Now they’ve re-booked us for tomorrow. We fly out at six o’clock in the morning.”
United Airlines staff were busy trying to help each customer but some folks had to call United Airlines themselves.
Travelers I spoke with said even though this is a set back in their schedules they’re keeping the plane crash victims in their prayers.
In the studio, Roma Villavicencio, NBC-5 news.
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