Rescuers attend the scene where a Sudanese jetliner veered off a runway after landing amid thunderstorms and exploded into flames, at the airport in the capital Khartoum, Sudan late Tuesday, June 10, 2008. Over 200 passengers were aboard the plane when it landed with conflicting initial reports as to the number of casualties. [Agencies]
A Sudanese jetliner landed in a thunderstorm and veered off the runway late Tuesday, bursting into flames and killing dozens of people, Sudanese officials said.
Official and state media said immediately after the crash that about half the 203 passengers aboard the Airbus A310 had been killed in the crash around 9 p.m. But several hours later officials began reporting a lower toll.
One flight attendant said the crew had evacuated the passengers from the plane.
"Thank God we were able to get all the passengers out," said Sarrah Faisal, her voice shaking as she spoke to Sudanese TV from a stretcher, wearing a plastic neck-brace. She gave no more details.
