Glasgow flight skids off runway

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Footage of the plane after the incident

Passengers on a Thomas Cook chartered flight from Glasgow have escaped injury after their plane skidded off the runway at Lanzarote airport.

The Air Europa Boeing-737 plane had 74 people on board when it left Glasgow Airport at about 0300 GMT on Friday.

Flight AEA-196 came off the runway after touching down in Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands, at about 0710 GMT.

The plane came to a halt close to a beach. Passengers were unhurt but shaken by the incident.

Nora McNair, 80, from Orphir on Orkney was on board with her partially disabled husband Archie, 84.

The wheels were absolutely smoking when they put on the brakes Nora McNair Passenger

She told BBC Scotland: "We seemed to make a very good landing, and then we were coming along a bit fast and the next thing we knew the plane was rocking from side to side and then they had to slam on the brakes and we just landed a few inches from a wall and the sea.

"I don't think anyone realised what was going on.

"But the wheels were absolutely smoking when they put on the brakes.

"When you think about it later it was dramatic. At the time I wasn't even upset about it.

"My nerves are very strong. The only thing we're a bit annoyed about is we have no luggage.

"But we're just very lucky that nobody was hurt."

The airport has been closed while the emergency services remove the aircraft.

Thomas Cook has called on Air Europa and the airport authorities to provide a full explanation Thomas Cook spokesman

A spokesman for Thomas Cook said: "We can confirm that an Air Europa flight AEA196, which was charted by Thomas Cook, was involved in a runway incident at Lanzarote's Arrecife Airport this morning.

"Thomas Cook staff were on hand at the airport to assist all passengers and can confirm that all guests are now en route to their holiday hotels.

"Thomas Cook has called on Air Europa and the airport authorities to provide a full explanation."

A spokesman for Air Europa said: "There was a problem on landing. All the passengers left the plane and are fine and are being taken to their hotels."

Spanish airport authority spokesman Alberto Martin Carvajal said the aircraft left the runway near the end of the landing strip.

It is reported to have ended up at an angle to the runway.

Mr Carvajal said passengers and crew were evacuated from the plane and no-one was hurt.

The Spanish Interior Ministry office in the Canary Islands confirmed the flight had been carrying 74 passengers and crew members.