A dramatic rescue unfolded today at a major international airport when a passenger jet burst into flames upon landing, prompting bystanders to shatter cabin windows to drag survivors from the inferno. The incident, which occurred at 14:32 local time, has left 12 people injured, three critically. The aircraft, a Boeing 737 operated by a low-cost carrier, had just completed a transcontinental flight when its landing gear collapsed, causing the plane to skid off the runway and erupt in flames.
Emergency services arrived within minutes, but witnesses described chaotic scenes as passengers trapped inside the burning fuselage pounded on windows. People were screaming and banging. We couldn't wait,"
said Ahmed Khalil, a maintenance worker who helped break a window with a metal bar. We pulled out four people before the fire trucks arrived." Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, but the quick actions of bystanders are credited with preventing a higher death toll.
The airport has been closed, and investigators are examining the wreckage to determine the cause of the accident. Authorities have launched a full inquiry, focusing on the landing gear mechanism and pilot communications in the final moments of the flight. The airline has expressed gratitude to the rescuers and offered support to the victims.
This incident highlights the precarious balance between aviation safety protocols and spontaneous human courage in emergency situations.
