Dramatic moment Lion Air plane skids off runway at Indonesian airport

This is the dramatic moment a plane skidded off the runway and crashed nose first into the grass while landing at an airport in Indonesia today (February 16)

The Lion Air Boing 737 had left Jakarta at 2pm local time and was coming into land at the airport in Pontianak some 500 miles north when it encountered a treacherous downpour.

Footage shows how the aircraft suddenly veered to the left before ditching in the wet ground.

Terrified passengers had to scramble from the exit and walk along the wing.

The wheels of the plane were almost entirely sunken into the sodden ground.

Polana Pramesti, Director General of Air Relations at the country's Ministry of Transportation, confirmed the crash. He said: ''It is true, the plane slipped due to heavy rain. There were no fatalities and the entire crew survived.''

Flights from the Supadio International Airport were cancelled while workers battled to drag the Boeing away from the runway.