Miracle In The Pacific: All Passengers Of Plane Which Crash-Landed In The Ocean All Survive

A passenger on board the plane which crash-landed near Papua New Guinea today has praised the 'awesome' response of the locals who jumped into their boats and pulled people from the jet as it sank into the ocean.

Authorities confirmed the airliner, which was en route to Papua New Guinea from Micronesia, missed the runway and crashed into the water off the tiny island of Weno, north-west of Papua New Guinea, around 9.30am Friday local time.

Without hesitation, men and women who witnessed the crash from the shore rowed out in a flotilla of small fishing boats towards the plane.


They managed to rescue all 35 passengers and 12 crew members, who were waste-deep in water by the time they arrived.

Many were standing on the wings of the rapidly-sinking jet. At least one passenger was injured.

Bill Jaynes, an American journalist based in Pohnpei who was on board the Boeing 737-800, said:

'I was really impressed with the locals who immediately started coming out in boats.

'One would have thought they would have been afraid to approach a plane that has just crashed. They were awesome and I was really impressed with their whole response.'

Thank God.