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Fatal crash at Honduran airport | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A Miami-bound passenger plane landing in the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa has overshot a runway, leaving at least five people dead, officials say. | |
A further 38 people were injured as the plane ploughed down an embankment and crashed into cars on a road, splitting into three pieces. | |
TACA airline's Flight 390 was arriving from El Salvador, carrying at least 124 passengers plus crew. | |
Officials say the plane was trying to land in heavy rain and fog. | |
The plane's fuselage buckled and broke apart in placesEnlarge Image | The plane's fuselage buckled and broke apart in placesEnlarge Image |
A doctor at the hospital treating the injured named one of the dead passengers as Harry Brautigam, director of a regional development bank. | |
The pilot, another passenger and two motorists on the ground were also killed. | |
One survivor, Mario Castillo, described the crash on Honduran TV: | |
"Suddenly we felt a big noise and we were all trying desperately to get out. | |
"The worst injured were the people in business class." | |
More than 2,000 gallons (7,500 litres) of jet fuel spilled out of the plane, and authorities tried to clear away hundreds of onlookers amid fears of an explosion or fire. | More than 2,000 gallons (7,500 litres) of jet fuel spilled out of the plane, and authorities tried to clear away hundreds of onlookers amid fears of an explosion or fire. |
"The airplane's fuel could cause an explosion, and that would be an even bigger tragedy," security ministry spokesman Ivan Mejia said. | |
The Airbus-320 left San Salvador at 1430 GMT. | |
It had been scheduled to stop briefly in Tegucigalpa and in San Pedro Sula before heading to Miami, Florida. | |
Tegucigalpa, surrounded by hills, is one of the most difficult airports in the region for landing because of its short runway and an unusually steep approach. |