Passenger Jet Skids Off Toronto Runway
Compiled From Wire Reports
Tuesday, August 2, 2005; 5:17 PM
TORONTO -- A passenger jetliner caught fire Tuesday after skidding off a runway in a fierce thunderstorm at Pearson airport in Toronto. Black smoke billowed from the wreckage as the aircraft burned.
A ticket agent in Montreal with Air France said the plane was its AF358 flight from Paris to Toronto, an Airbus A340. "That's all we know," the agent said. Air France's Web site showed that flight 358 left Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris was due to arrive at Pearson's terminal 3 on Tuesday afternoon.
Witnesses told Canadian television stations that the plane, configured for 252 passengers, had apparently skidded off the runway after coming in to land in rainy conditions.
There was no immediate word on casualties.
Police said the plane was an Air France passenger jet that was trying to land when it ran into trouble. There was a storm -- with lightning, strong wind gusts and even hail -- in the area at the time.