Russia plane crash: Horrific moment deadly fireball erupts from INSIDE plane – video

The Aeroflot plane made an emergency landing after a fire erupted on board soon after takeoff from Moscow to the Arctic city of Murmansk. Flames were seen flaring from the rear of the Russian-built aircraft with a reported 78 on board. The video captured the moment the jet slammed down onto the runway and flames burst through the twin engines.

Petrified passengers erupted into screams as the fire spread to the fuselage, casting an eerie orange glow across the cabin.

The aircraft quickly came to a stop as the panic intensified and the fevered unclicking of seatbelts permeated the smoky air.

There was initial confusion over casualties with one report that 10 died including a female flight attendant, but this was not confirmed.

Russian Investigative Committee later there were 13 fatalities – a figure earlier revealed by Reuters, citing a medical source.

But by 10pm UK time last night the Russian Investigative Committee said in a statement on its website: “There were 78 people on board, including crew members.

“According to updated information, 37 out of them survived.”

The stricken plane was clearly visible from the main terminals at the airport in the north of Moscow.

A British Airways plane was also on the tarmac at the time.

The airport is closed for arrivals and departures.

A passenger called mikkentosh posted on Twitter: “Guys I am all right, I am alive and in one piece.

“I managed to jump out.

“This was the 17.50 Moscow to Murmansk flight, see the rest in the news…

“Definitely not everyone managed to escape, huge condolences to families and friends.”

The plane is less than two years old.

Its first flight was reported to be in June 2017.

Criminal investigators are examining the cause of the crash.

There were reports that an electrical fault had caused the inferno after takeoff.

But other reports said the plane had suffered “communications problems” and the fire engulfed the Sukhoi as it returned to Moscow to land.

The crashed plane gave a distress signal before landing at Sheremetyevo, and the connection with it disappeared, a source in the airport services told Interfax.

“The plane gave a distress signal, then ir traffic control lost communication with it,” said a source.

“It was impossible to contact it.

“It was landing in complete silence.”

The chief pilot was named as Denis Evdokimov, the co-pilot – Maxim Kuznetsov.

Flight attendants were Tatiana Kasatkina, Maxim Moiseev, Ksenia Vogel.

The crew claimed that the plane had been hit by lightning, although there was no official confirmation.

source: express.co.uk