Two people have been killed and dozens were injured when a Boeing 777 crash landed at San Francisco International Airport.
The Asiana Airlines flight was carrying more 300 people from Seoul when it crashed while landing in clear skies on Saturday morning.
San Francisco Fire Department Chief Joanna Hayes-White said two people were killed and 130 were taken to hospitals.
Pictures taken immediately after the crash showed extensive fire damage to the aircraft which had lost its tail and one of its wings in the crash.
The BBC reports that the cause of the crash is unclear although early indications suggest the plane came in too short and hit a seawall at the airport.
The airline said mechanical problems did not cause the crash.
The two fatalities are Chinese citizens and all of the passengers have now been accounted for.
Altogether 181 people were taken to hospital, mostly with minor injuries.
Ying Kong of New York, who was waiting at the airport for her brother-in-law, Fawen Yan, 47, from California, said he telephoned her after surviving the crash to say it had been "really smoky and scary."
She said he told her a lot of people had to run and some people got hurt.
Reuters reports that fire engines were at the scene and the fire, which had burned through the cabin's roof, appeared to be out.
An observer from a nearby hotel told CNN he heard a pop, and saw a large fireball come from underneath the aircraft, lasting a short time.
The airline said the plane had 291 passengers and 16 crew on board.
Air NZ flight diverted
New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed no New Zealanders were on the Asiana Airlines flight.
An Air New Zealand plane had been due to land at San Francisco Airport shortly after the Asiana flight, and was diverted to Los Angeles.
A spokesperson for the airline says those passengers were later flown back to San Francisco, and their scheduled flight left for New Zealand at 7.26pm (NZ time) on Sunday.
But she says the plane will have to stop in Hawai'i to refuel because a runway change meant it could not carry as much weight on takeoff.
