Plane in Indonesia skids off runway in heavy rain, injuring 20

Jakarta: A passenger plane with about 100 people on board has skidded off the end of the runway in heavy rain at an airport on Indonesia's Papua island, injuring some 20 people.

Police say the Merpati Nusantara Airline Boeing 737 was landing at Manokwari airport Tuesday when it slid into a small canal at the end of the runway.

Hospital officials and paramedics say about 20 passengers were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Most had bruises and some broken bones. There were no reports of fatalities.

Local police chief Bambang Ricky told Indonesia's official Antara news agency that the plane's fuselage was split open in the accident. He said there were 76 men, 21 women, six children and six crew on board.