India Goa crash: Twelve hurt as plane veers off runway

The aircraft's front undercarriage is reported to have collapsed before it grounded to a halt

At least 12 passengers on board an Indian Jet Airways Boeing 737 aircraft have been injured when it veered off the runway at Goa airport while preparing for take-off, officials say.

Jet has said the plane, carrying 154 passengers to Mumbai, came off the runway because of a technical failure.

But the exact details of what the accident are unclear, officials say.

December is the busiest month for Dabolim airport, located near the Goa state capital Panjim.

Television coverage depicted injured and traumatised passengers - a few on stretchers - in the dark.

Some of the injured needed to be taken for treatment on stretchers

The full extent of the damage to the aircraft could be clearly seen on Tuesday

The plane's front undercarriage and one of its wings appeared to have been damaged as it came to a halt supported only by its body frame and engine casings.

Most of the injured only seemed to have cuts and bruises, although some injuries were more serious.

"I fractured my leg," passenger Dinesh Kumar said. "The moment the plane started running on the runway, it slipped into the nearby field and there was smoke inside the flight."

Air travel is becoming increasingly popular in India, one of the world's fastest-growing economies.

Passenger numbers on internal flights increased by 21% in 2015 to more than 80 million, with the government predicting numbers to rise substantially over the next five years.

Jet Airways is India's second largest airline and flies on both domestic and international routes.