Screaming families filmed fleeing from Emirates plane moments before it erupted into fireball
Children were among 300 screaming passengers and crew filmed fleeing from the cabin of a crashed Emirates plane at Dubai Airport, moments before it burst into a fireball on the runway.
Flight EK521 was flying out of India and coming in to land in the United Arab Emirates when the pilot tried to abort the landing.
In a terrifying video posted to Twitter, cabin crews forced open the emergency exit doors, desperately trying to get 282 passengers and 18 crew members off the flaming Boeing 777.
Travellers scramble to collect their luggage and grab oxygen masks dangling from the ceiling as plumes of black smoke fill the cabin.
A female passenger, who is recording the escape, guides her camera and children to the emergency exit.
Passengers then throw themselves down inflatable slides, as a voice in the background screams "Jump! Jump! Jump!".
The woman flees the wreckage and manages to capture a glimpse of the fireball engine.
Everyone on board was "safely evacuated", following the "operational incident upon landing".
Two Australians were among the passengers on the Emirates flight, escaping unscathed from the burning aircraft.
Hero firefighter Jasim Issa Mohammed Hassan died while trying to put out the flames and another 10 people were taken to hospital.
Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed paid tribute to the firefighter at a press conference, adding 13 people suffered minor injuries.
All arrivals and departures at the airport were suspended on Wednesday night but have since resumed.
In another video posted to social media, the plane explodes into a fireball, followed by thick, black plumes of smoke billowing out.
One witness said it looked like the Emirates plane "belly landed on the tarmac" when it tried to land at 12.45pm local time.
"We can confirm that there are no fatalities among our passengers and crew. All passengers and crew are accounted for and safe," Emirates said in a statement.
"The main priority remains with those involved and offering support to concerned family and friends."
On board the flight, there were 20 different nationalities, most of them were Indian, with six Americans, two Australians, 24 Britons and 11 people from the United Arab Emirates.
Passengers said the pilot warned them there was a problem with the landing gear and he would be making emergency landing.
According to air traffic control recordings, the pilot said he was trying to go around and land again but instead approached with a 16km tailwind blowing dust.
The captain retracted the undercarriage but when the aircraft failed to climb, the plane touched down tail-first on the runway and erupted into a fireball.
The pilot and the first officer have more than 7,000 hours of flying experience each, the airline said.
RELATED VIDEOS:
