By D’Arcy Doran
Associated Press
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press
 AP Photo/Keith Hammett A Boeing 777 plane landed just short of the runway at London’s Heathrow Airport, Thursday. Three passengers were injured, London Ambulance Service said. |
LONDON — A British Airways passenger jet crash landed short of the runway at Heathrow airport Thursday, wrecking the undercarriage and causing extensive damage to both wings. Three passengers were injured.
The plane skidded to a halt on its belly before emergency chutes deployed and all passengers were evacuated. One of the wings was partially torn off.
The plane was flight BA38 from Beijing to London, a Boeing 777, British Airways and airport operator BAA PLC said.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whose plane was awaiting takeoff on the runway for a trip to China, was delayed by the incident. But his aircraft was not involved in the accident.
Three passengers had minor injuries, London Ambulance Service said.
The aircraft appeared to have landed just yards from a busy perimeter road, Britain’s Press Association reported. Fire trucks surrounded the aircraft and emergency evacuation chutes were deployed.
The prime minister’s plane, which was carrying a delegation made up of business leaders including Virgin chairman Richard Branson, was not involved but those onboard could see the incident in the distance.
Planes were still taking off and landing on Heathrow’s northern runway, air traffic control company Nats said.