BISHKEK, September 26 (RIA Novosti) - Sixty one passengers and crew on a Kyrgyz airliner had a lucky escape Tuesday after the plane crashed on take-off into a U.S. combat aircraft in the Central Asian state's international airport Tuesday, a source at the airport said.
No one is reported to have been hurt in the incident, which happened at 8.pm. local time (2 p.m. GMT).
The United States has maintained an airbase at the capital's Manas airport since 2001 to aid its operations in Afghanistan.
A Kyrgyz Airlines Tu-154, which is thought to have been flying to Moscow, made an emergency landing after hitting the American refueller, a Hercules, which was reportedly on the wrong runway. The U.S. aircraft had just landed
The refueller caught fire but the blaze was quickly extinguished.
The airport will be closed until 6 a.m. local time (midnight GMT).
