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USA TODAY: An Asiana Airlines flight from Seoul crashed on landing at San Francisco's airport Saturday, forcing passengers to escape the aircraft using inflatable emergency exit slides.
Passengers who got off the plane told reporters they did not believe there were any fatalities. Images from the scene showed smoke billowing from the plane and emergency exits open from the plane's fuselage, with the tail separated from the aircraft. Gaping holes could be seen in the roof of the plane's body, blackened by fire.
The plane was a Boeing 777, FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford said. It crashed on runway 28L at San Francisco International Airport, he said.
There were 291 people aboard, KCBS radio reported.
The wreckage was sprayed with white fire retardant.
Laura Brown, spokeswoman for the FAA in Washington, said Asiana Flight 214 from Seoul was attempting to land at San Francisco International Airport when it crashed.
"All we know is that a foreign airline, Asiana Airlines Flight 214 arriving from Seoul, South Korea, crashed while landing,'' she said. "That's all I've got right now.
She said it appeared the plane crashed after touching down for a landing, although the sequence of events was not clear.
A passenger, David Eun, issued Tweets after the crash: "Fire and rescue people all over the place. They're evacuating the injured. Haven't felt this way since 9/11.''
Later, Eun Tweeted: "I'm fine. Most people are totally calm and trying to help. .. the majority of passengers seem OK.''
The National Transportation Safety Board was dispatching a team of crash investigators to the site.
A video clip posted to Youtube showed smoke coming from a silver-colored jet on the tarmac. Passengers could be seen jumping down the inflatable emergency slides. Images showed the the body of the plane largely intact but with severe fire damage.
The tail of the airplane was separated from the aircraft. Weather at the time was clear.
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