Air Niugini Boeing 737 crashed into Pacific with 47 onboard.
A Boeing 737-800 operated by Air Niugini came to rest in a lagoon during an attempted landing at Chuuk International Airport in Micronesia.
The aircraft landed in the water about 145 meters offshore from the runway 04 thresholds. Six passengers were hospitalized after the accident. One passenger was reported missing. His body was found by divers on October 1.
Air Niugini flight 73 had departed Pohnpei Airport, Micronesia on a flight to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, with an en route stop at Weno-Chuuk International Airport.
The aircraft was approaching in rain with Cumulonimbus clouds moving at 800-1000 feet over the airport.
After the aircraft came to rest, local boats and some United States Navy divers went to the scene to rescue the occupants.
Air Niugini stated that the aircraft “landed short of the runway”. Other reports suggest the aircraft overshot the runway on landing. The position of the aircraft relative to the runway, suggests the overrun to be a more plausible scenario.
