United Airlines plane skids off icy runway at Ohio airport

A United Airlines plane skidded off a runway at Cleveland's main airport in Ohio, US early on Friday, shortly after it landed.

Reuters reports that passengers and crew were forced to exit the plane by the stairs, and airport and airline officials said there were no injuries.

United flight 1639 from Fort Lauderdale was turning onto the taxiway after landing at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport when it slipped off the pavement into the grass and snow, the airline said.

There were 103 passengers and five crew members on board.

Cleve Scene reports that United spokeswoman Jennifer Dohm said: 'While turning on to the taxiway, the aircraft slid into the grass and snow. There were no reported injuries among the 103 passengers and five crew members. United is working to get the customers off the aircraft and to the terminal.'

Airport spokeswoman Jacqueline Mayo said passengers from the Boeing 737 were taken to the airport terminal by bus and that pavement conditions were good when the incident happened at 10.45am.

'Crews were out all evening and morning,' she said. 'We don't know why it happened, but it is safe for planes to land and taxi for take-off.'

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