20 Aug 2005

US Air Force takes over Guam airport after jumbo jet crash

5:08 am on 20 August 2005

The US Air Force base in Guam is being used as an international passenger terminal until the runway is cleared after the crash landing of a Boeing 747 jumbo jet.

Initial reports suggest the Northwest Airlines flight 74 from Narita in Japan, lost its landing gear at touchdown, before skidding on its nose some distance before finally stopping about 300 metres before the end of the runway.

Our correspondent in Guam, RLene Steffy, says all 334 people on board used the emergency slides to reach safety yesterday.

There were 318 passengers, including seven children, 13 flight attendants and three pilots.

Airport spokeswoman Rolinda Faasuamaile said that none of the passengers on board were seriously injured, and that the plane was resting on its nose on the runway... but that the incident wasn't considered a crash landing.