Man lands plane in Beirut street

The pilot warned motorists before landing

A pilot of a small aircraft has shocked Lebanese motorists by making an emergency landing on a highway in the south of the capital, Beirut.

Witnesses said a man leaned out of the Cessna 172 light aircraft prior to landing to warn drivers to stop.

The landing caused no injuries, and did not result in any visible damages to the plane or passing traffic.

Soldiers sealed off the area as crowds of onlookers gathered to look, before the plane was hoisted away by a crane.

Onlookers described the bravery of the pilot as he came in to land in the Jnah suburb.

"The pilot was great, really brave," said Ahmad Abu Samir. "He came down so slowly, very calmly. It could have been so much worse."

The plane landed, appropriately enough, on a flyover

Local resident Mohammad Matariya said he went to look after hearing neighbours shouting.

"I saw the plane starting to come down, then I saw the pilot put his head out of the window and tell a boy on a motorbike: 'Stop the traffic, I have to land'."

Reports said the aircraft was on a training flight, with an instructor and trainee pilot on board.

The pilot had reported a problem with the engine prior to making the emergency landing.