Viral Video Shows DHL Cargo Plane Crash, Split in Two in Costa Rica

A video of a DHL Boeing plane making an emergency landing and skidding off a runway in Costa Rica on Friday has begun to go viral on social media.

The DHL Boeing 757 cargo freighter crashed at Juan Santamaria Airport in Alajuela, just west of the capital San Jose, according to an Aviation Source report.

The plane is believed to have been departing for Guatemala but was forced to return to the airport because of a problem with the hydraulics in the left landing gear.

When making the emergency landing, the plane skidded off the runway and eventually broke into two. The pilot and co-pilot were seemingly unharmed.

Videos of the incident from multiple angles have begun appearing on social media. One has been viewed over 100,000 times.

"Boeing 757, DHL flight D07216, from MROC, registration H-2010DAE, reported hydraulic problems and returns to the airport. It was heading towards Guatemala," stated the caption on one video in Spanish.

In the video, the plane can be seen touching down on the runway trailing smoke. The plane then turned 180 degrees and was split in two as it went into a ditch. Images of the plane crash show that the tail had detached and a wing had broken.

In other videos, emergency vehicles can be seen driving towards the damaged plane.

DHL, which is owned by Deutsche Post AG, said that "one crew member is undergoing medical checks as a precaution," according to an Independent report.

The airport operator said that the crash had affected 57 commercial and cargo flights to and from the U.S., Central America, Mexico, Canada and Europe.

After the crash, DHL and airport authorities said that they were working together to remove the aircraft.

"DHL's incident response team has been activated and an investigation will be conducted with the relevant authorities to determine what happened," DHL said, according to a Reuters report.

The director of the Costa Rica Fire Department, Hector Chaves spoke about the actions taken to prevent further issue after the crash.

"Units mobilized to remove the pilot and co-pilot," Chaves said.

"Then they applied foam to prevent a spill and now they are working on an earthen dike to avoid any fuel from reaching the drainage system."

The aircraft is over 22 years old and first began service with Far Eastern Air Transport in December 1999, according to the Aviation Source report.

Newsweek has contacted Boeing for comment.