Crash Landing at Heathrow Injures 8; Cause Unknown

A British Airways passenger jet slammed into the ground at London's Heathrow Airport today, causing eight injuries but no deaths, the AP reports. The crash landing damaged the plane's underbelly and wings. The cause is still unknown; the 6-year-old Boeing 777 had never previously crashed, and was flown by "one of our most experienced" pilots, said BA's CEO.

The Beijing-to-London jet "crashed into the runway, debris was flying everywhere, there was an enormous bang, and it skidded sideways," said a witness, who saw the wheels "collapse" as the plane landed on grass in front of a runway. After the incident, BA staff cared for passengers, who "are generally in good spirits," CEO Willie Walsh said. (More Britain stories.)