Hundreds of passengers have been stranded at Manila airport on Friday, August 17, after a Chinese airplane crash-landed amid heavy rains, thus forcing authorities to shut the runway.
China-based Xiamen Airlines plane skidded off the runway Thursday night with a total of 157 passengers and 8 crew onboard, travelling on flight MF8667 out of Xiamen. All of them were evacuated from the aircraft and provided with food and blankets prior to being transferred to an airport hotel.
No injuries were reported.
Ninoy Aquino International Airport authorities extended the closure of the runway until Friday evening, which caused around 49 flights to be cancelled and 10 flights to be diverted.
Xiamen Airlines' Air Boeing 737-800 remained on the side of the runway several hours after the crash.
The airplane had tried to land twice but after its second attempt, the control tower had lost contact with it.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.