A Tibet Airlines plane caught fire Thursday after veering off the runway at a Chinese airport, but all passengers and crew were "safely evacuated", the airline said.

The flight, carrying 113 passengers and nine crew, was headed from the southwestern city of Chongqing to Tibet's Nyingchi when "abnormalities" were noticed and take-off was suspended, causing the jet to overrun the runway, the company said in a statement.

Images shared by Chinese state media showed flames engulfing the side of the stricken jet as terrified passengers ran from the scene.

Photos of the aftermath showed scorch marks covering the nose and one wing of the jet, which had been doused in water to control the blaze.

"All passengers and crew have been safely evacuated," Tibet Airlines said in a statement.

"The injured passengers were all only lightly injured, and have been sent to hospital for treatment."

Flight TV9833 deviated from the runway during take-off and "the left side of the aircraft's nose caught fire", Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport said in a separate statement.

About 40 passengers with minor injuries were sent to hospital, the airport added.

- Investigation under way -

Operations at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport have since returned to normal.

"The cause of the accident is being investigated," the airport said.

The incident comes after a China Eastern flight travelling from Kunming to Guangzhou plunged from 29,000 feet into a mountainside in March, killing all 132 people on board.

No reason for that crash, China's deadliest in around 30 years, has yet been given.

Two flight recorders, or "black boxes", were recovered and are being analysed in the United States in the hopes of unlocking the mystery behind the China Eastern jet's rapid descent.

In the immediate aftermath of the crash, China's ruling Communist Party moved quickly to control information, revving up its censorship machine as media outlets and residents raced to the crash site.

There was no report of issues before the flight nor was there cargo declared as dangerous on the plane, according to authorities, who noted no abnormalities in the plane's navigation and monitoring equipment.

Related Links
Aerospace News at SpaceMart.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Airbus partners with MAGicALL to develop the electric motors of CityAirbus NextGen
Dallas TX (SPX) May 11, 2022
Airbus has selected MAGicALL to supply the motors of the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft CityAirbus NextGen. Airbus' eVTOL prototype will be equipped with a tailored version of the MAGiDRIVE, the newest generation of electric motors manufactured by MAGicALL. The detailed customisation of CityAirbus NextGen's electric propulsion system will enable the prototype to benefit from features that will match its unique design, making for increased performance and reliability. The l ... read more